DEFENCE

AFB 130A

Paul Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many soldiers signed an AFB130A in each year since 1997.

Lewis Moonie: An Army Form B130A (AFB130A) is completed when soldiers are to be discharged under the following Queen's Regulations 1975:
	9.398—On termination of engagement
	9.403—Having been convicted during Army service by a civil court of an offence committed before enlistment
	9.404—Misconduct
	9.405—Retention undesirable in the interests of the service
	9.411—Not required for further Army service
	9.413—Not required for a full Army career
	9.414—Services no longer required
	The overall total discharged under these paragraphs for which an AFB130A was completed in each year since 1997 is as follows:
	
		
			  Number discharged 
		
		
			 1997 1,520 
			 1998 1,531 
			 1999 1,270 
			 2000 1,500 
			 2001 1,677 
			 2002 1,092 
			 Total 8,590 
		
	
	It should however be noted that an AFB130A may have been signed in other cases in which discharge action was terminated. These figures are not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Amphibious Groups

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the state of availability is of Royal Navy amphibious groups.

Adam Ingram: The Royal Navy is able to mount an Amphibious Task Group within the readiness requirements of Defence Planning Assumptions from high readiness units earmarked for the Joint Rapid Reaction Force.

Barracks (Right of Access)

Kevin McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence in what circumstances at (a) Deepcut and (b) Catterick Barracks specified areas of the camp may be declared out of bounds; and what safeguards are in place to ensure a soldier's right of access to (i) the regimental medical office, (ii) the Padre, (iii) the unit welfare officer, (iv) the local army welfare worker and (v) the Women's Royal Voluntary Service Welfare Office.

Adam Ingram: At both Deepcut and Catterick, certain areas of the camps and surrounding areas are placed out of bounds to personnel for security, health and safety or similar reasons, on a temporary or semi-permanent basis. The offices specified in the question would only be placed out of bounds in exceptional circumstances, such as a security alert or other emergency. None of these offices are routinely out of bounds and all personnel have unrestricted access during normal opening times.

Beaufort Trench Outlet Pipe

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what environmental tests have been made in relation to the outlet pipe in the Beaufort Trench; and what assessments have been made of (a) human health and (b) the immediate area surrounding the River Dee and (c) contamination of (i) land and (ii) aquatic and ornithological life.

Lewis Moonie: holding reply Monday 9 December 2002: I will write to my hon Friend and a copy of my letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

British Forces Broadcasting Service

James Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make arrangements to allow England rugby and football matches to be watched on the British Forces Broadcasting Service.

Lewis Moonie: The British Forces Broadcasting Service (BFBS) is provided through a contract let by the Ministry of Defence with the Services Sound and Vision Corporation (SSVC), which is an independent limited company with charitable status. The service provides, subject to practicality and affordability, radio and television broadcasts to most locations overseas where significant numbers of British forces are stationed, such as Germany and Cyprus, together with areas of deployed operation such as Afghanistan. There are currently two radio and two television channels, although the second TV channel, which is specifically aimed at the 18–30 age group, is at present only available to deployed operational areas, eg Balkans, Middle-East, Afghanistan.
	Authority to transmit any particular television or radio programme or sporting event rests with the Rights Holder for the programme or event concerned and all broadcasters, including SSVC, must negotiate accordingly with Rights Holders for licences to broadcast.
	SSVC already provides live television coverage of all England (and other Home Nation) international rugby and football matches, subject to scheduling practicalities where fixtures clash, and makes arrangements to do so with the Rights Holders through the primary broadcaster, eg the BBC, ITV etc.
	SSVC and the Ministry of Defence are working to further develop the BFBS with a view to providing additional television channels including, in due course, a dedicated sports channel.

Defence Spending (Scotland)

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much of the defence budget was spent in Scotland in the most recent year for which figures are available (a) in actual terms and (b) as a percentage of the total defence budget; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: The information is not held in the format requested and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Initiatives

Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list his Department's initiatives which are designed to achieve best value for money.

Adam Ingram: The Ministry of Defence continuously reviews its business processes and organisation to ensure that military capability is delivered with best value for money for the taxpayer. As part of the 2002 spending review, the MOD agreed the following Public Service Agreement value for money target for 2002–03 to 2005–06:
	XIncrease value for money by making improvements in the efficiency and effectiveness of the key processes for delivering military capability. Year on year output efficiency gains of 2.5% mil be made each year from 2002–03 to 2005–06."
	A wide range of initiatives is in hand to achieve this target, and to deliver business improvement generally across defence on a continuous basis. Key improvements include the following initiatives:
	By 31 March 2006, to reduce by an average of 6 per cent. the per capita cost of training a successful military recruit to the agreed standard.
	Achieve 0 per cent. average annual cost growth (or better) against the Major Equipment Procurement Projects, while meeting customer requirements.
	By 31 March 2006, to reduce by 20 per cent. (relative to April 2000, 14 per cent. relative to April 2002) the output costs of the Defence Logistics Organisation, while maintaining support to the Front Line. By 31 March 2006, to reduce MOD Head Office and other management costs by 13per cent.
	By 31 March 2006, to identify for disposal land and buildings with a net book value of over #300 million.
	Performance against the targets will be reported annually through the Department Performance Report. Further information on the MOD's value for money Public Service Agreement target is available on the MOD website www.mod.uk.

Depleted Uranium

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans there are to substitute depleted uranium rounds with safer and equally penetrative rounds; and if he will make a statement.

Lewis Moonie: There are currently no plans to substitute DU rounds. At present no satisfactory alternative material exists to achieve the level of penetration needed to defeat the most modern battle tanks. DU ammunition therefore currently remains our most operationally effective capability and the use of non-DU ammunition would significantly threaten operational success and would potentially lead to increased United Kingdom casualties. However, I can confirm that research is continuing into more effective alternatives to DU ammunition.

Devonport Dockyard

Colin Breed: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what major improvements have been made to the facilities for non-Vanguard submarines at Devonport dockyard; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: A contract was placed with Devonport Management Ltd in 1997 to upgrade their existing facilities to provide the sole refitting and refuelling facilities for Vanguard and all other Royal Navy nuclear submarines.
	The major improvements made to date to the specific facilities for non-Vanguard submarines, or to facilities shared by both Vanguard and non-Vanguard submarines, are as follows:
	
		
			 Facility Improvement made 
		
		
			 14 and 15 Docks The construction of seismically qualified dock structures, caissons and cradles for the submarines to sit in. 14 Dock has also been adapted to accommodate the new Astute class submarines. 
			 New Equipment and Maintenance Support Facility (NEMSFAC) New shared facility for maintenance and storage of equipment. 
			 Power Range Testing Berth (PRT) Upgraded berth at which the refuelled reactors are first tested after refit. 
			 Low Level Refuelling Facility (LLRF) New facility used to store new and used fuel for all submarines. 
			 Nuclear Transfer Route (NTR) To enable access between the refuelling docks and LLRF. In place for 14 Dock, work in hand for 15 Dock. 
			 Cranes Seismically qualified dockside cranes fitted to 14 Dock; installation work about to commence for 15 Dock. 
			 Electrical services to submarine berths Ring main around dockyard upgraded.

Drug Testing

Paul Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many of the reserves tested positive for controlled substances when last tested; what the date was of the last tests; and what percentage of force strength this represents; and if he will make a statement.

Lewis Moonie: When in full time service with Regular units and formations, reservists of all three services are tested on the same random basis as their Regular counterparts. Only the Army randomly test reservists serving in reserve units. During the period 1 January 2002 to 31 October 2002,1,342 Territorial Army personnel were tested, of whom nine tested positive (0.67 per cent. of those tested). Individual Army reservists are also tested on mobilisation when they report to the Reserves Training and Mobilisation Centre. During the same period 971 tests were conducted of which 13 tested positive (1.34 per cent. of those tested).

Executive Agencies (Scotland)

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many people work for the Army Base Repair Organisation; how many are employed in Scotland; what the personnel costs of the agency are; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: As at 1 December 2002, the total number of staff employed by ABRO, formerly known as the Army Base Repair Organisation, was 2587. Of these, 143 individuals were employed in Stirling, ABRO's sole workshop facility in Scotland.
	The forecast total pay cost of ABRO staff for the current financial year of 2002–03 was, as of 1 December 2002, #57.048 million. This figure includes # 3.179 million for Stirling.

Firefighters

Syd Rapson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many service personnel he estimates will lose money by standing in as firefighters during the dispute.

Adam Ingram: The Ministry of Defence has a comprehensive pay and allowance package in place that includes various reimbursement and compensatory allowances. There should be no Xlosers" under this arrangement but it is possible that some individuals, as their circumstances change (e.g. different types of separation, no longer living away from home etc.) might move from one set of allowances to another— because their compensation needs are different. MOD is aware that there may be some individuals who will or may have been temporarily withdrawn from career courses and would seek to address any potential financial loss sympathetically.

General Affairs Council

Paul Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps he is taking to implement the conclusion of the General Affairs Council of 19 November 2002 that, in relation to ECAP, it would be useful to continue to inform the public on this progress.

Geoff Hoon: Ministers will continue to inform the public of progress on the European Capabilities Action Plan (ECAP) through speeches, Ministry of Defence publications, and other means as appropriate.

Grievance Complaints

Brian Mawhinney: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many formal grievances for (a) bullying and (b) harassment have been made by his Department's employees in each of the last five years; and how many of these have been upheld in favour of the complainant.

Lewis Moonie: No central records of complaints of harassment and bullying made by civilian staff are maintained by the Ministry of Defence. The MOD procedures encourage the informal resolution of harassment and bullying complaints with the assistance of line manager and personnel managers and trade union representatives. Where complaints become formal they are resolved within the alleged offender's line management chain. There is no requirement for complaints to be reported centrally, and it would be disproportionately expensive to collect the information requested.

Gulf War

Colin Pickthall: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Gulf War veterans are being paid disability pensions for war-related illnesses; what those illnesses are; how many veterans are suffering from each illness; and how many Gulf War veterans have died of war-related illnesses since 1991.

Lewis Moonie: I will write to my hon. Friend and a copy of my letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

Helsinki Process

Paul Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the shortfalls identified by the Helsinki Process Catalogue and the actions being undertaken to remedy them; and if he will make a statement.

Geoff Hoon: European Union members have so far met 104 of the 144 capability targets in the Helsinki Headline Catalogue. The shortfalls are:
	Air to Air Refuelling
	Attack Helicopter
	BDA (operational level)
	Carrier Based Air Power
	Civil Military Co-operation
	Combat Search and Rescue
	Cruise Missiles and Precision Guided Munitions
	Deployable Communication Modules
	Early Warning and Distant Detection Strategic Level
	General Cargo Aircraft
	General Cargo Shipping
	General Maintenance Engineering
	General Support Engineering
	General Support Logistics
	Headquarters (OHQ, FHQ, CCHQ) and Augmentees
	Light Infantry Brigade HQ and Augmentees
	Light/medium Armoured Companies
	Maritime Medical Evacuation Units
	Medical Collective Protection Role 3
	Medical Role 3
	Military Intelligence Units
	Military Police
	Multinational Joint Logistic Centre and Augmentees
	NBC
	Out Sized Transport Aircraft
	Press Info Group
	PSYOPS
	Recovery/Maintenance
	RO-RO
	Special Operational Forces
	Strategic ISR IMINT Collection
	Strategic ISR SIGINT Collection
	Support Helicopters
	Suppression of Enemy Air Defence
	Surveillance and Target Acquisition/Unmanned Air Vehicles
	Surveillance and Target Acquisition Units
	Theatre Ballistic Missile Defence
	Theatre Surveillance and Reconnaissance and Air Picture
	Theatre Surveillance and Reconnaissance and Ground Picture
	Transport Units.
	
		Key 
		
			 Acronym Explanation 
		
		
			 BDA Battle Damage Assessment 
			 CCHQ Component Command Headquarters 
			 FHQ Force Headquarters 
			 HQ Headquarters 
			 IMINT Imagery Intelligence 
			 ISR Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance 
			 MN Multinational 
			 NBC Nuclear Biological Chemical 
			 OHQ Operation Headquarters 
			 PSYOPS Psychological Operations 
			 RO-RO Roll On-Roll Off 
			 SIGINT Signal Intelligence 
		
	
	Work is under way to address the remaining targets through the European Capabilities Action Plan (ECAP). About half of these are regarded as significant. ECAP has made steady progress, with 18 multinational panels of experts so far launched, covering 21 shortfalls. The panels will report in March 2003.

Hercules C130J (Afghanistan)

James Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Hercules C130Js are deployed in Afghanistan; and on what mission.

Adam Ingram: There is one C130J Mark 4 aircraft currently deployed in Afghanistan, carrying out a variety of military transport tasks.

HMS Cattistock

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the repair cost will be of HMS Cattistock; when the ship will return to service; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: Following her impact with the jetty at Portsmouth on 23 November 2002, HMS Cattistock is currently in dock at Portsmouth undergoing preparations for her repair by Fleet Support Ltd. It is estimated that the work will take about four weeks, and be completed in January 2003. Cattistock will then be available for operational tasking. The Warship Support Agency's initial estimate of the cost of repairs is #250,000.

Iraq (Hostile Fire)

Colin Breed: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many British aircraft have experienced hostile fire from Iraqi military installations during each of the last 12 months.

Adam Ingram: holding answer 11 December 2002
	Attacks by Iraqi air defence weapons on coalition aircraft conducting legitimate patrols of the No Fly Zones are not recorded against individual nations. The number of recorded confirmed attacks on coalition aircraft in the period were as follows. It is believed actual figures may be significantly higher.
	
		
			  Number of attacks 
		
		
			 December 2001 6 
			 January 2002 21 
			 February 15 
			 March 2 
			 April 8 
			 May 32 
			 June 50 
			 July 57 
			 August 68 
			 September 88 
			 October 24 
			 November 65

Manning Control Reviews

Paul Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many soldiers who were subject to a manning control review and subsequently transferred to the S-type engagements, were discharged at the end of their engagements and under what Queen's Regulations they were discharged broken down by regiment, in each year since 1997.

Lewis Moonie: The number of soldiers discharged following Manning Control review, who subsequently transferred to an S-type and were discharged at the end of their engagements are listed by discharge paragraph (Queen's Regulation) as follows:
	
		
			  Total 
		
		
			 9.373—by right, having given appropriate notice (less than 12 years service)  
			 1997 0 
			 1998 0 
			 1999 1 
			 2000 1 
			 2001 0 
			 2002 0 
			 Total 2 
			   
			 9.387—ceasing to fulfil Army medical standards  
			 1997 0 
			 1998 0 
			 1999 0 
			 2000 2 
			 2001 0 
			 2002 0 
			 Total 2 
			 9.389—by right, having given the appropriate notice (12 years and less than 22 years service)  
			 1997 2 
			 1998 0 
			 1999 0 
			 2000 1 
			 2001 0 
			 2002 0 
			 Total 3 
			   
			 9.393—on completion of engagement  
			 1997 4 
			 1998 8 
			 1999 13 
			 2000 14 
			 2001 9 
			 2002 4 
			 Total 52 
			   
			 9.399—at the soldier's request—on payment (12 years and less than 22 years service)  
			 1997 0 
			 1998 0 
			 1999 0 
			 2000 0 
			 2001 1 
			 2002 0 
			 Total 1 
			   
			 9.414—services no longer required  
			 1997 1 
			 1998 0 
			 1999 0 
			 2000 0 
			 2001 0 
			 2002 0 
			 Total 1 
		
	
	Due to the low numbers involved, this information is not broken down by Regiment as requested, because this could identify individuals and breach disclosure and confidentiality policy. I am therefore withholding that information under Exemption 12 (Privacy of an Individual) of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.

Manning Control Reviews

Paul Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what DASA outflow code number refers to manning control.

Lewis Moonie: The Defence Analytical Services Agency outflow code which refers to discharge following Manning Control Review under Queen's Regulations 1975 9.413 'Not required for a full Army career,' is 262.

Manning Control Reviews

Paul Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many soldiers subject to manning control are on the reserve list and could be called up for deployment; and if he will make a statement.

Lewis Moonie: There are 1,917 individuals who have been discharged following Manning Control Review who are currently on the reserve list, and who may be liable for call-out depending on their status.

Manning Control Reviews

Paul Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Army personnel were issued with manning control warning certificates in each of the last 10 years, broken down by regiment.

Lewis Moonie: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given on 27 November 2002, Official Report, columns 332–34, which reported the number of soldiers discharged under Queen's Regulations paragraph 9.413 XNot required for a full Army career" in each of the last 15 calendar years and by Regiment. These individuals would also have been issued with manning control warning certificates.

Naval Establishments (Unauthorised Entry)

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the incidents of unauthorised entry into (a) Royal Naval and (b) Royal Marines establishments in the UK in each of the last five years, showing (i) the numbers of intruders involved, (ii) the number of arrests made, (iii) the number of convictions secured and (iv) the number of cautions given in each case.

Adam Ingram: Information on all incidents of incursion is not held centrally and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.
	Some information is held by the MOD Police on incidents of incursion. As it will take some time to gather this data I will write to the hon. Member and a copy of my letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

NBC Training and Equipment

Jimmy Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much funding he has allocated to NBC training and equipment; whether he has plans to increase this funding; which regiments have specialist NBC training; what plans he has to extend that training; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: The information requested is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	All armed forces personnel are given training to protect themselves in a nuclear, biological and chemical military environment, as part of their basic training. This is refreshed at regular intervals. For financial year 2002–03 the full resource cost of operating the Defence Nuclear, Biological and Chemical Centre (DNBCC) Winterborne Gunner, which is the tri-service nuclear, biological and chemical training establishment, is expected to be approximately #4 million.
	The Joint Nuclear, Biological and Chemical Regiment is specifically trained to provide the UK's armed forces capability in biological weapon detection, chemical and nuclear survey and reconnaissance and personnel decontamination in a deployed military NBC environment. The cost of operating the regiment for financial year 2002–03 is planned to be approximately #24.5 million.
	The level of NBC related funding and training is kept under constant review as part of the normal management process.

Operation Southern Watch

Paul Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many RAF aircraft have been assigned to Operation Southern Watch; how many were fully serviceable in (a) May 2002, (b) August 2002 and (c) November 2002; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: holding answer 9 December 2002
	The number of airframes assigned to Operation Resinate—the United Kingdom contribution to Operation Southern Watch—depends on the operational task, which may change. In each of May, August and November 2002 the number varied between 15 and 17.
	Serviceability varies daily, and is collated at weekly reporting points. The figures below are indicative, based on the closest flying day to the first reporting point of each month.
	On 2 May 2002 three airframes were unserviceable.
	On 2 August 2002 two airframes were unserviceable.
	On 7 November 2002 no airframes were unserviceable.
	Unserviceability is usually corrected by straightforward maintenance prior to the next mission. Through the period from May 2002 to date unserviceability has had no significant impact on our ability to meet the operational task.

Private Finance Initiative

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what major (a) variations and (b) delays there have been to the private finance initiative contract for the (i) Tidworth Water and Sewerage, (ii) RAF White Fleet, (iii) MHE Vehicles and (iv) Hazardous Stores Information System (HSIS); what the cost has been of the changes; whether the partners in the PFI were required to meet these costs; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: As this information is not held centrally, I will write to the hon. Member once it has been collated and a copy of my letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

Private Finance Initiative

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what major variations and delays there have been to the Private Finance Initiative contract for (a) the Commercial Satellite Communication Service, (b) Tornado 6R4 Simulator, (c) Hank Simulator, (d) DAFS Helicopter Flying School, (e) Germany White Fleet and (f) Marine Support to Range and Aircrew Services since they were signed; what the cost has been of such changes and delays; which partners in the PFIs were required to meet these costs; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: As this information is not held centrally, I will write to the hon. Member once it has been collated, and a copy of my letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

RAF Bases

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the total station operating budget was for each RAF base in the United Kingdom in the last year for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: The table shows the RAF operating budgets for each of the United Kingdom RAF stations for Financial Year 2002–2003. It does not include former RAF stations that have retained their name but which have been transferred to the ownership of another part of the Ministry of Defence.
	
		
			 Station Name Operating Costs (# million) 
		
		
			 RAF Bentley Priory 5.6 
			 RAF Boscombe Down (Support Unit) 6.2 
			 RAF Boulmer 22.9 
			 RAF Brampton/Wyton/Henlow 39.5 
			 RAF Buchan 19.4 
			 RAF Brize Norton 141.6 
			 RAF Coltishall 66.0 
			 RAF Coningsby 66.8 
			 RAF Cosford 64.2 
			 RAF Cottesmore 59.9 
			 RAFC Cranwell 141.7 
			 RAF Digby 5.7 
			 RAF Fylingdales 14.9 
			 RAF Halton 41.0 
			 RAF High Wycombe 18.0 
			 RAF Honington 71.0 
			 RAF Innsworth 12.4 
			 RAF Kinloss 109.4 
			 RAF Leeming 67.7 
			 RAF Leuchars 64.6 
			 RAF Linton-on-Ouse 22.7 
			 RAF Lossiemouth 100.6 
			 RAF Lyneham 128.4 
			 RAF Marsham 98.5 
			 FSCTE Manston 5.1 
			 RAF Neatishead 17.1 
			 RAF Northolt 21.8 
			 RAF Sealand 6.6 
			 RAF Shawbury 63.8 
			 RAF Spadeadam 7.8 
			 RAF Stafford 33.1 
			 RAF St. Mawgan 49.1 
			 RAF St. Athan 3.6 
			 RAF Uxbridge 12.0 
			 RAF Valley 40.5 
			 RAF Waddington 75.2 
			 RAF Waddington 75.2 
			 RAF Wittering 52.4 
			 AWRTain, Pembrey Sands, Holbeach, Donn a Nook, Wainfleet 3.0 
		
	
	Note:
	The figures given in the table include the budget for any minor unit for which the station is responsible.

Salaries

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what proportion of the defence budget salaries represent what the total sum was for (a) uniformed services and (b) MOD civilian employees; and the percentage paid out in (i) Scotland and (ii) overseas.

Adam Ingram: holding answer 10 December 2002
	Information on the defence budget, salaries as a proportion thereof and the breakdown of salary costs between military and civilian personnel for financial year 2001–02 is provided in the Ministry of Defence Consolidated Departmental Resource Accounts for that year.
	Information on the defence budget and salaries as a proportion thereof for the current financial year is provided in XThe Government's Expenditure Plans 2002–03 to 2003–04—Ministry of Defence". The breakdown between military and civilian personnel is estimated to be broadly similar to that in 2001–02.
	Copies of the above documents are available in the Library of the House.
	The percentage of salaries for service and civilian personnel paid in Scotland and overseas is in the table:
	
		Percentage 
		
			  Service personnel Civilian personnel 
		
		
			 Scotland 7.0 8.4 
			 Overseas 19.6 3.1

Sea Harrier

Gerald Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the purpose was of the exercise held in Poland earlier this year involving FA2 Sea Harriers from 801 Naval Air Squadron; how the FA2 performed against MiG29 aircraft; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: The purpose of exercise Lone Kestrel was to promote understanding between two nations with emerging military links as part of the NATO exchange programme. This programme seeks to enhance interoperability between NATO units in order to enhance the combat effectiveness of the Alliance.
	The Sea Harrier FA2 flew a variety of missions with Polish aircraft. Its performance was commensurate with the high standards of operations expected from the United Kingdom Forces and 801 Squadron gained valuable training from the exercise.
	I cannot go into specific details on how the Sea Harrier FA2 performed against the MiG 29 aircraft during Exercise Lone Kestrel and am withholding this information under Exemptions 1a and 1b of the Code of Practice on Access to Government information which relates to defence.

Sergeant Major Andrew Gavaghan

Kevin McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will set out the (a) service career and (b) postings of Sergeant Major Andrew Gavaghan who served at Deepcut Barracks in 1995–96.

Lewis Moonie: The information requested is personal data protected by the Data Protection Act 1998, and cannot be released without the individual's consent. The information is also withheld in accordance with Exemption 12, privacy of an individual, of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.

Type 23 Frigate

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the respects in which there has been an increase in the availability of Type 23 frigates since the completion of the 1998 Strategic Defence Review, referred to in the letter from the Minister of State for the Armed Forces to the hon. Member for Aldershot of 2 December.

Adam Ingram: The Type 23 Frigate was designed with the expectation of spending a high proportion of its operational time in the demanding and stressing environment of the North Atlantic. The nature of the threat has evolved with resultant changes to operational priorities and deployments, the consequence of which is that these ships spend less time in the North Atlantic. An opportunity has therefore arisen to extend the interval between major maintenance periods. Improved processes for the specification and management of equipment maintenance are also being introduced. The collective effect of these developments will be to increase the availability of Type 23 Frigate capability for operations.

University Air Squadrons

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many students flew at least one hour with the university air squadrons in the last year for which records are available.

Lewis Moonie: 720 students are known to have flown at least one hour with the university air squadrons last year. This figure consists of 640 student pilots and 80 student navigators.
	The university air squadrons also contain engineer, medical and dental students—a total of 300—who are being sponsored through university by the Royal Air Force to meet other specialist requirements. These branch members will have been offered occasional flights, but these could be less than an hour in length.

University Air Squadrons

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what proportion of students who flew with the university air squadrons subsequently joined the RAF in each of the last five years.

Lewis Moonie: The 15 university air squadrons recruit up to 300 potential pilots every year in order to achieve their annual target of training, up to Elementary Flying Training Standard, the 80 to 90 graduate pilots required by the first stage of the Flying Training System.
	The recruited figure may seem high, but is necessary to meet the Royal Air Force's needs. Predictably, a number will drop out at an early stage, as they find they do not have the aptitude, do not enjoy the experience, fail the initial medical, or have difficulty meeting the concurrent demands of a difficult degree course and membership of a university air squadron.
	For those that remain, a commitment to join the Royal Air Force is nurtured and Squadron Commanders have instructions as to how to proceed, should they form the view that a student does not intend to apply to join the Royal Air Force.
	Specifically at the end of the student's second year, the Squadron Commander will release him or her, should it become apparent that the student has no intention of applying to join.
	The following statistics are available for the past three years—the Royal Air Force did not operate such a comprehensive recording system before financial year 2000.
	2000–01
	The number of students that started the final year of university air squadron training totalled 125. Of these 90 went on to join the Royal Air Force.
	2001–02
	The number of students that started the final year of university air squadron training was 113. Of these 91 went on to join the Royal Air Force.
	2002–03
	The number of students now in their final university air squadron year total 120, of these 90 have so far joined the Royal Air Force.
	This reply is limited to those university air squadron members that are potential pilots and have undertaken formal flying training. It does not cover members who may have received limited air experience flights, such as potential engineers or medics, or potential navigators who receive a limited amount of flying training.

Wind Farms

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many representations from hon. Members of the European Parliament or the devolved administrations his Department has received about objections by his Department to wind farm planning applications.

Lewis Moonie: Our records show that, in the last 12 months, the Ministry of Defence has received twenty letters from Members of the Scottish Parliament and the Welsh Assembly and none from hon. Members of the European Parliament.

Wind Farms

Mr. Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions his Department has had with (a) the British Wind Energy Association and (b) British business about radar interference and wind farms.

Lewis Moonie: The Ministry of Defence are members of a Steering Group on Wind Energy chaired by the Department of Trade and Industry. The other members of the Group are the Civil Aviation Authority and the British Wind Energy Association and the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister. The Group discusses the issues relating to aviation safety that wind turbines can present and has produced an Interim Guidelines document XWind Energy and Aviation Interests55 to assist all those involved in the wind energy industry.
	The MOD devotes significant resources to the consideration of wind farm proposals prior to formal planning. Between July 1996 and November 2002, ourexperts considered some 1,900 proposals from developers for wind farms across the United Kingdom and consequently have had many meetings with Wind Energy developers about concerns regarding specific proposals including radar
	interference.

Wind Farms

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what further action he is taking to identify possible (a) onshore and (b) offshore wind farm sites about which his Department would have concerns to do with interference with radar.

Lewis Moonie: The Ministry of Defence is working towards a number of improvements in the way it processes proposals. We aim to increase engagement with the wind industry, for example, where minor adjustments to the siting of turbines may result in an objection being withdrawn. We will also provide more central guidance to those reviewing applications and publicise a help line for the industry. MOD is ready to engage with Regional Chambers as the latter move towards considering optimum sites for the siting of wind farms in the longer term when drawing up their regional energy strategies.
	MOD has also reviewed recently the scope for giving developers a clearer picture of the specific areas of the country where onshore windfarm proposals may cause problems. There remains an unavoidable requirement to examine all applications in some detail before decisions can be made on any likely detriment to defence interests.

Wind Farms

Mr. Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what budget his Department has for conducting research into the impact wind farms have in terms of radar interference.

Lewis Moonie: The Ministry of Defence are members of a Steering Group on Wind Energy chaired by the Department of Trade and Industry. The Steering Group discussions led the DTI to commission research by QinetiQ into the effect of wind turbines on radar and MOD are giving assistance whenever required. The department has no specific budget for conducting research into the impact wind farms have on radar.

Wind Farms

Mr. Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions his Department has had with other NATO countries about the impact wind farms have in terms of interference with radar.

Lewis Moonie: No formal discussions dedicated to wind farms have taken place with other NATO countries.

PRIME MINISTER

Boundary Committee

Keith Vaz: To ask the Prime Minister if he has written recently to the Boundary Committee concerning its recommendations.

Tony Blair: I have not written recently to the Boundary Committee.

Civil Service

David Burnside: To ask the Prime Minister if he will merge the Northern Ireland civil service with the home civil service.

Tony Blair: There are no plans to do so.

Foreign Regimes

Tam Dalyell: To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his answer of 4 December 2002, Official Report, columns 906–07, what other states he has assessed as possessing appalling, brutal and terrible regimes.

Tony Blair: It is clear from the evidence in the Iraq human rights dossier that Iraq merits special attention. Iraq is the only state to have used weapons of mass destruction against its own people and its neighbours.
	We have serious concerns about a range of other countries. These are set out in the FCO's Annual Report on Human Rights 2002, as laid before Parliament on 26 September 2002.

Iraq

Llew Smith: To ask the Prime Minister which Department is investigating the report submitted by Iraq to UNMOVIC in respect of its weapons programmes and military infrastructure; which United Kingdom experts have been given responsibility to undertake the assessment; what expertise they have in each case; and if he will make a statement on the Iraqi documentary declaration.

Tony Blair: Iraq's declaration is being studied by analysts at the Ministry of Defence. The principal experts involved in this work have studied Iraq's weapons programmes for a number of years.

Maritime Safety

Alan Reid: To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on departmental responsibility for the safety of (a) passengers, (b) employees of the operators of the pier and (c) employees of the operators of the ship while (i) embarking on and (ii) disembarking from a ship at a port in Scotland.

Tony Blair: Health and safety and maritime matters are reserved to the UK Government. Ship operations are regulated by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, an Executive Agency of the Department for Transport. Dock operations, which include the embarkation and disembarkation of passenger and crew, are regulated by the Health and Safety Executive, which is sponsored by the Department for Work and Pensions.

Ministerial Code

Graham Brady: To ask the Prime Minister what the minimum size of property portfolio is which is covered by the Ministerial Code.

Tony Blair: I refer the hon. Member to the Secretary of the Cabinet's letter of 11 December 2002 to the right hon. Member for Haltemprice and Howden (David Davis), a copy of which has been placed in the Library of the House.

Poland

Keith Vaz: To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on his recent meeting with the Prime Minister of Poland.

Tony Blair: I discussed a wide range of issues, including the EU enlargement negotiations, when I met Leszek Miller in London on 26 November 2002. After our meeting, I announced that Polish nationals will be eligible to enter the UK as au pairs. The Government have since announced that we will extend to citizens of Poland, and the other EU member states, from their accession on 1 May 2004, the full rights to work in the UK as enjoyed by existing EU citizens, a subject that Leszek Miller raised with me.

Scottish Fishing Industry

Peter Duncan: To ask the Prime Minister if he will raise the state of the Scottish fishing industry at the Copenhagen summit.

Tony Blair: I refer the hon. Member to the statement I gave in the House today.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Football Training Facilities

Peter Pike: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what discussions she has had with the Football Association on its involvement in the provision of football training facilities.

Richard Caborn: I have regular meetings with the Football Association to discuss the provision of grass roots training facilities through the Football Foundation. The Foundation benefits from Lottery funding from Sport England and the New Opportunities Fund. The provision of training facilities for professional players is the responsibility of the football authorities and individual clubs.

Museums

Brian White: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what support her Department gives to small local and regional museums.

Tessa Jowell: We will be providing #70 million for regional museums from this year until 2005–06.
	Extra funding will also be made available to the national museums to enable them to work in partnership with regional museums. Additionally, there will be funds from the Department for Education and Skills to support museums' education.

Museums

Kelvin Hopkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will take steps to increase funding of regional museums.

Tessa Jowell: We will be providing #70 million for regional museums fro this year until 2005–06.
	Extra funding will also be made available to the national museums to enable them to work in partnership with regional museums. Additionally there will be funds from the Department for Education and Skills to support museums' education.

Olympic Games

Mike Gapes: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will support the London bid for the 2012 Olympics.

Tessa Jowell: The Government's decision on whether to support a bid to host the 2012 Olympic Games in London will be made early next year.

Olympic Games

Andrew Love: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what representations she has received regarding the possibility of bidding to hold the Olympic Games in London in 2012.

Tessa Jowell: Officials from my Department have held regular meetings during this year with the Greater London Authority, London Development Agency, the British Olympic Association, UK Sport and Sport England to discuss the implications of London bidding to host the 2012 Olympic Games. In addition, the relevant Government Departments have been involved in assessing the ARUP report on the Costs and Benefits of a 2012 London Olympic Bid.
	I have met the Mayor of London and will continue to meet the British Olympic Association and other non-Government stakeholders to discuss the practicalities of such a bid.

Licensing Bill

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment she has made of the costs to be incurred by churches in applying for licences to host live music performances at their venues as a result of the provisions in the Licensing Bill.

Kim Howells: Costs incurred by churches under the licensing regime proposed in the Licensing Bill would depend on the licensable activities, if any, which are undertaken and their frequency. The Regulatory Impact Assessment, published at the same time as the Licensing Bill and placed in the Libraries of both Houses, estimates that an application for a premises licence under the new regime will cost between #100 and #500, with an annual charge of between #50 and #150.

Licensing Bill

David Heath: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what representations she has received on her plans to reform the public entertainment licence since the publication of the Licensing Bill.

Kim Howells: My Department has received a number of representations from hon. and right hon. Members, members of the public, including musicians and Morris dancers, and from companies and organisations.
	In addition, a large number of correspondents have written in support of the hon. Member's Early Day Motion 1182, the aims of which will be implemented by the Licensing Bill which is currently before Parliament.

Licensing Bill

Andrew Selous: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what estimate she has made of the costs that will be incurred by live music venues if they wish to continue hosting live music performances at their venues as a result of the provisions in the Licensing Bill.

Kim Howells: Under the proposed new regime, the cost of a premises licence would remain the same whether it solely covered the sale of alcohol or included any number of additional licensable activities, such as the provision of live music. The estimated fees in the Regulatory Impact Assessment, published with the Licensing Bill, were between #100 and #500 for an application for a premises licence with a subsequent annual charge of between #50 and #150. Fees would be set centrally by the Secretary of State in secondary legislation.

BBC3

Mark Tami: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what steps her Department will take to ensure that BBC3 does not dilute the quality of programmes on BBC1 and BBC2.

Kim Howells: My right hon. Friend's approval for BBC3 includes strong and wide-ranging conditions to ensure that the channel is distinctive and innovative. These include specific requirements that delivery of the BBC3 schedule must not be at the expense of programmes on BBC1 and 2 for the same age group, and that new programmes commissioned for BBC3 will be made available to enhance programming on BBC1 and BBC2.

Tourist Authorities

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what discussions she has had with relevant regional and sub-national organisations regarding the reorganisation of the tourist authorities for England.

Kim Howells: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State met Regional Development Agency Chairs on 27 June 2002 to discuss their new strategic role in tourism. We both met RDA and Regional Tourist Board representatives and the Local Government Tourism Executive at Tourism Fora in November 2001 and April 2002, and at the Hartwell House seminars in October 2001 and July 2002, in which reorganisation was discussed.

Communications Bill

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will make a statement on the changes she has made to the draft Communications Bill as a consequence of pre-legislative scrutiny.

Tessa Jowell: As I explained at the Second Reading of the Communications Bill on 3 December 2002, Xwe accepted more than 120 of [the] 148 recommendations of the Joint Committee on the draft Communications Bill". For the detail of the changes made to the Bill as a result, I refer the hon. Member to Appendix 4 of the explanatory notes that were published alongside the Bill, as well as our response to the Committee.

Entertainment Licences

Brian Iddon: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will reduce the cost of entertainment licences for pubs and clubs.

Kim Howells: Under the current public entertainment licensing system, local authorities have set charges that can vary by thousands of percent from area to area, even for similar activities carried out at similar premises. It would not be uncommon, for example, for one authority to charge #150 for a licence and another to charge #20,000 or more for the same permission.
	Under the proposed new regime, however, the cost of a premises licence would remain the same whether it solely covered the sale of alcohol or included any number of additional licensable activities, such as the provision of live music. The estimated fees in the Regulatory Impact Assessment published with the Licensing Bill were between #100 and #500 for an application for a premises licence with a subsequent annual charge of between #50 and #150. Fees would be set centrally by the Secretary of State in secondary legislation. The assessment estimates that the hospitality and leisure industry would save #1.97 billion over the first ten years that the new regime is in operation.

Advisory Bodies (Membership)

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the membership is of the (a) Advisory Committee on the Government Art Collection, (b) Advisory Council on Libraries, (c) Architectural Heritage Fund, (d) Arts Council of England, (e) British Film Institute, (f) British Library Board, (g) British Tourist Authority, (h) Crafts Council, (i) the Board of English Heritage, (j) English Tourist Board, (k) the Board of the Horniman Museum, (l) Independent Television Commission, (m) Library and Information Commission, (n) the Board of the Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester, (o) National Film and Television School, (p) National Lottery Charities Board, (q) National Museums and Galleries on Merseyside, (r) Public Lending Right Advisory Committee, (s) Reviewing Committees on the Export of Works of Art, (t) Radio Authority, (u) Royal National Theatre, (v) S4C and (w) Treasure Valuation Committee.

Kim Howells: The membership of bodies for which my Department is responsible is set out in the Department for Culture, Media and Sport Annual Report 2002, a copy of which is available in the Library of the House. The National Lottery Charities Board is now known as the Community Fund and the Library and Information Commission has been replaced by Resource. Additionally, my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State is responsible for the membership of half of the board of the Architectural Heritage Fund. The full list of members is as follows:
	Jane Sharman CBE (Chair)
	Robert Clow
	John Heritage Pavitt
	William Cadell
	Merlin Waterson
	Colin Amery
	Nicholas Baring
	David Adams QBE
	Malcolm Crowder QBE
	Roy Dantzic
	Fionnula Jay-O'Boyle MBE
	Roger Wools
	The Secretary of State is not responsible for the membership of the National Film and Television School, Royal National Theatre and Crafts Council, who make their own appointments. Members of the British Film Institute are appointed by the Film Council. Details of membership of these organisations should be available from the bodies.

Avro Vulcan XH558

Paul Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what representations her Department has received regarding the project to restore Avro Vulcan XH558.

Kim Howells: holding answer 12 December 2002
	To date the Department has received 75 letters and emails regarding the Avro Vulcan.

Avro Vulcan XH558

Paul Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what representations the Heritage Lottery Fund has received regarding the project to restore Avro Vulcan XH558.

Kim Howells: holding answer 12 December 2002
	The Heritage Lottery Fund received three letters from interested parties and two letters from hon. Members while the application was being assessed. In addition, 128 hon. Members signed an Early Day Motion in the House of Commons, which was noted during the assessment process. Following the Trustees' decision not to support the project, the Heritage Lottery Fund has to date received 732 emails and letters of support for the project.

Digital Services

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will make a statement on the rules regarding advertising digital services on the BBC.

Tessa Jowell: The BBC does not broadcast advertisements but it does broadcast information about its public services, including, of course, its digital services. This activity is carried out subject to the provisions of the BBC's commercial policy guidelines.

First Flight Commemoration

Paul Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what lottery money has been earmarked for (a) events and (b) causes commemorating the centenary of the first manned flight; and if she will make a statement.

Kim Howells: holding answer 12 December 2002
	The Heritage Lottery Fund has not earmarked funds to commemorate the centenary of the first manned flights. However, it would welcome applications for projects which meet its priorities as set out in its application packs.

Free Television Licences

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the cost of providing free television licences to those aged over 75 years in Northern Ireland in each of the last three years was.

Kim Howells: Free television licences for people aged 75 and over first became available in November 2000. The cost of free licences issued in Northern Ireland was #6.5 million in 2000–01 and #8.3 million in 2001–02.

Heritage Lottery Fund

Paul Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what account the Heritage Lottery Fund takes of correspondence from the public in reaching its decisions; and if she will make a statement.

Kim Howells: holding answer 12 December 2002
	The Heritage Lottery Fund looks for evidence that the project is supported by the local community in which it is situated. It will also look at letters of support it receives for the project from the public, or further evidence which applicants are able to give it about the level of public support for their proposals. It also will take into account views of interested parties, particularly those who may be closely affected by a funding decision. However, this does not alter the consideration it must n give to each request for funding against the stated criteria, and against the specific issues outlined in the application pack. Letters of support received after a decision is reached are noted, but cannot affect a decision retrospectively.

Heritage Lottery Fund

Paul Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how often the Heritage Lottery Fund has reversed a decision not to award lottery funding to a cause; what reasons were given; and if she will make a statement.

Kim Howells: holding answer 12 December 2002
	The Heritage Lottery Fund has an independent Reviews and Complains Committee Organisations which feel that their application for a grant has not been considered fairly or properly can ask for the Committee to review it. The Committee has reviewed 33 cases over the last five years, and asked the Board (or the Heritage Lottery Fund Committee that took the original decision) to look again at its decision on four occasions. On two occasions a decision was reversed. In the first instance, after careful reflection, the Board concluded that the application comprised a number of unique features of heritage merit which, in combination, warranted support. In the other case, the Committee drew attention to a misunderstanding of project costs and partnership funding which altered the level of grant requested by the applicant. This resulted in the then Committee for the English Regions concluding that the application now offered value for money and awarded a grant.

Independent Radio

Michael Fabricant: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what steps she is taking to promote independent radio production; and if she will make a statement.

Tessa Jowell: The BBC has voluntarily committed itself to a 10 per cent. quota for independent production on its network sources. I welcome the following statement in which the BBC re-affirms its commitment to independent producers, and demonstrates that the BBC is giving further consideration to the scope of the services included in the quota, and the arrangements for reporting against it. The Government shall keep the position under review as the radio market develops. BBC Radio and Independent Production
	XThe BBC acknowledges the significant contribution independent producers have made to network radio output over the past 11 years. We remain fully committed to our voluntary pledge that 10 per cent. of eligible hours on our national analogue networks will be made by independents. We also wish publicly to emphasise that we will continue to view this 10 per cent. commitment as a floor not a ceiling. We believe that our behaviour over the past five years highlights this attitude and we will work to open up commissions, where appropriate to independent producers in order to develop the UK production sector.
	In the past our 10 per cent. voluntary commitment has not applied to our national English language analogue radio services for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. We are looking at how we could develop a similar voluntary commitment to that which already exists for our analogue network services. We believe that we would be able to commit publicly to an appropriate level of commissioning from the independent sector across the English language services in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. In doing so we must take account of the existing market conditions in order to determine a realistic and sustainable level at which to set such a commitment. We also need to consider how we balance most effectively our ambition to support the development of the independent production sector in the nations in the context of our wider commitment to production in the Nations.
	Given current levels of take-up of digital radio across the country we do not yet feel able to extend a commitment for a particular level of independent commissioning for our new digital services. However, it is our hope that as take-up of digital radio grows and these services mature, we will be able to invite independent producers to provide content for these services where appropriate.
	We intend to report fully on both the hours we commission from independent producers and our spend on independent production across our analogue radio networks in our annual review.
	We hope that these commitments will act to strengthen the positive and constructive relationship with independent producers which we already enjoy."

Licensing

Gordon Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what representations she has received from churches on the potential impact of the proposed new licensing arrangements for live performances.

Kim Howells: I have received one letter form the Archbishop's Council of the Church of England and a number of other letters and e-mails from churches about the effects of the Licensing Bill on their provision of live music which is not associated with religious worship.

Lottery Funding (Cumbria)

Tony Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much lottery funding has been received in the last three years in (a) the Workington constituency and (b) Cumbria; and what the average amount of lottery money received in each constituency was in that period.

Kim Howells: holding answer 12 December 2002
	According to the information supplied to us by the distributing bodies for the national lottery awards database, the Workington constituency has been awarded 5,042,599 and Cumbria has been awarded 42,150,64 in Lottery funding between 11/12/99 and 10/12/02. The average amount awarded to each UK constituency over the same period has been #5,362,359.

Royal Palaces

Alan Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what estimate has been made of the cost of proposed refurbishment and redecorative work at Clarence House; and how much of this is to be charged to Grant-in-Aid.

Kim Howells: The estimated cost of the proposed refurbishment and redecorative work is #3.45 million (excluding VAT). In addition, #175,000 has been budgeted for removing, storing and reinstating the contents of the house and #356,000 for professional fees (also excluding VAT). All the above costs will be met from the current Grant-in-Aid allocation.
	The Prince of Wales will personally fund costs relating to the furnishing of Clarence House.

Royal Palaces

Alan Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what changes are planned in the use of accommodation at (a) St. James's Palace and (b) Clarence House.

Kim Howells: From August 2003, Clarence House will become the official residence for The Prince of Wales and the London home for Prince William and Prince Harry. Clarence House will also house the Private Office of The Prince of Wales. The main parts of Clarence House will be opened to the public in the summer months. The office space in St. James's Palace, vacated as a result of the move of the Private Office of The Prince of Wales, will be occupied by the Royal Collection. The future of the apartment in St. James's Palace currently occupied by The Prince of Wales is under review.

Royal Palaces

Alan Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what accommodation there is at (a) St. James's Palace and (b) Clarence House.

Kim Howells: At St. James's Palace, there is the following accommodation: state rooms, two chapels (Chapel Royal and The Queen's Chapel), office accommodation and 22 apartments (occupied by Members of the Royal Family, staff, or currently vacant, with two currently let to the Ministry of Defence). In addition, there is a picture restoration studio, guardroom and messing facility for the guard.
	Clarence House comprises 16 main rooms plus office, staff and ancillary accommodation. Following refurbishment of Clarence House, this accommodation will be used by The Prince of Wales (a) to perform his official duties, which include meetings, receptions and other events; (b) as his official London residence; and (c) as offices for 30 of his official staff, as well as by the Princes as their London home.

School Sports

Peter Viggers: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what recent efforts her Department has made to promote sport in schools.

Richard Caborn: The amount of #459 million is being invested by DCMS and DfES to transform physical education, school sport and club links over the next three years. The funding will help deliver a joint DfES/DCMS Public Service Agreement target to increase the percentage of children who spend at least two hours a week on high quality PE and school sport—in and beyond school—to 75 per cent. by 2006.

Sport (National Lottery Funding)

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much her Department and its predecessors has spent at 2002 prices through (a) Grant-in-Aid funding and (b) National Lottery funding on (i) sport funding bodies, (ii) elite sport support, (iii) local sport initiatives and (iv) others in each year since 1992; and if she will make a statement.

Kim Howells: The data required are not readily available, but my right hon. Friend the Minister for Sport will write to the hon. Member with detailed information as soon as possible.

Television Production (Regions)

Louise Ellman: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what steps she is taking to expand television programme production in the regions.

Kim Howells: The Government's policy is to retain and strengthen the regional dimension to public service broadcasting to ensure that it continues to meet the needs of different communities and cultural interests. The Communications Bill contains detailed provisions designed to achieve this.
	Under the Bill, Channel 3 companies will have targets for programmes produced in the regions for the regions, programmes made regionally for national audiences and investment in programme production in the regions. Channel 4 will have targets for programme production and investment in the regions. Obligations in this area will also be applied to the BBC, through the agreement with the Secretary of State.
	In addition, the ITC UK programme supply review was published on 26 November 2002. The review recommended a number of changes to support regional production. We are currently considering these recommendations and will make any necessary amendments to the Communications Bill.

Television Services

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whether her policy on the promotion of media literacy includes references to hearing and sight-impaired people having access to television services.

Kim Howells: holding answer 10 December 2002
	Our policy on media literacy, set out in the statement published on October 2001 and developed in the duty to be laid on OFCOM under the Communications Bill, is not focussed specifically on people with sensory impairements. It is to help everyone manage the new media environment more safely. In carrying out this duty, as indeed in their other work, OFCOM must as appropriate have regard to the needs of people with disabilities.
	Other specific provisions set new, higher targets for subtitling and audio-description and require OFCOM to produce a code promoting the understanding and enjoyment of television services by those with hearing or sight impairment.

Tourism

John Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many tourists visited British seaside resorts in the last five years.

Kim Howells: The majority of trips to the British seaside are made by British people. From 1997 to 2001, the UK Tourism Survey recorded 161 million such trips.

CHURCH COMMISSIONERS

Reinstated Clergy

Ben Chapman: To ask the hon. Member for Middlesbrough, representing the Church Commissioners, if he will make a statement on the rights of clergy who have been reinstated with regard to salary and pension provision.

Stuart Bell: Clergy are not reinstated as such. If they were temporarily suspended or offered leave of absence while in office, payment of stipend and accrual of pensionable service would be linked to whether the clergy concerned continued to hold the Bishop's licence.

Clergy (Employment Status)

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the hon. Member for Middlesbrough, representing the Church Commissioners, what advice the Church Commissioners have given to the Department of Trade and Industry in its review of the employment status of members of the clergy.

Stuart Bell: The Archbishops' Council has responded on behalf of the Church of England, after consulting bishops. A copy of its response will be made available in the Library.

Public Events (Cathedrals)

Michael Fabricant: To ask the hon. Member for Middlesbrough, representing the Church Commissioners, what advice is given by the Church Commissioners to the deans and chapters of English cathedrals concerning revenues from the use of their premises for public events other than worship; and if he will make a statement.

Stuart Bell: The Church Commissioners do not give advice concerning revenues from the use of cathedral premises for public events in relation to the proposed licensing Bill introduced in another place. It would rest with the cathedrals' representative body, the Association of English Cathedrals, to do so and to make whatever submission they thought appropriate in relation to the proposed Bill.

ELECTORAL COMMISSION COMMITTEE

Regional Government

Graham Brady: To ask the right hon. Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, if he will make a statement on the Commission's policy on the use of public funds in the promotion of referendums on regional government.

Alan Beith: If a regional referendum is announced, the Commission intends to conduct an information campaign designed to encourage voting in the referendum. The Commission also has the power to designate lead campaigning organisations for and against the referendum question. A designated organisation may receive public funds as well as a postage-free referendum address.
	In the event that designated organisations are not appointed, the Regional Assemblies (Preparations) Bill, currently before the House, includes provisions for the Commission itself to provide information to the electorate explaining the arguments for and against the referendum question.

National Assembly for Wales

Ian Lucas: To ask the right hon. Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission, if the Committee will review the arrangements for the system for election to the National Assembly for Wales.

Alan Beith: No. Such a review would not fall within the statutory remit of the Speaker's Committee and the Electoral Commission has no current plans to review this area. However, I understand that the recently established Commission on the Powers and Electoral Arrangements for the National Assembly for Wales, chaired by the Noble Lord Richard QC, is looking at this issue.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

Nuclear Power Stations

Jimmy Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many new nuclear power stations are to be built in the UK in the next 10 years; where they will be built; and how long they will be in service.

Brian Wilson: In common with all generation options, the initiative for bringing forward proposals to construct new plant lies with the market and the generating companies. British Energy and BNFL have said they have no current plans for such proposals.

Nuclear Power Stations

Jimmy Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many nuclear power stations in operation in the UK will be upgraded; and how many will be decommissioned.

Brian Wilson: Any modification to a nuclear power station is a matter for the operator subject to the relevant regulatory controls. Latest published company information on expected station closure dates is as follows.
	
		
			 Magnox Capacity MW Published lifetime 
		
		
			 Calder Hall 194 2003 
			 Chapelcross 196 2005 
			 Bradwell 300 2002 
			 Sizewell A 420 2006 
			 Dungeness A 450 2006 
			 Oldbury 434 2008 
			 Wylfa 980 2010 
			
			 British Energy   
			 Dungeness B 1,110 2008 
			 Hartlepool 1,210 2014 
			 Heysham 1 1,150 2014 
			 Heysham 2 1,250 2023 
			 Hinkley Point B 1,220 2011 
			 Hunterston B 1,190 2011 
			 Sizewell B 1,188 2035 
			 Torness 1,250 2023

WTO (Sydney)

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on the objectives of the Government at the WTO mini-ministerial meeting in Sydney on 14 November.

Patricia Hewitt: The Government's objective for the WTO mini-ministerial meeting, which took place in Sydney on 14 and 15 November, was to advance key development issues within the WTO Doha Development Agenda (DDA) including agreement on how WTO members, without sufficient manufacturing capacity in the pharmaceutical sector, can make use of compulsory licensing for essential medicines; and agreement on a package of special and differential treatment for developing countries.
	The UK is represented by the European Commission in the WTO.

Agriculture and Biotechnology

Joan Ruddock: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans she has to re-appoint the Agriculture and Biotechnology Commission when its term finishes.

Patricia Hewitt: holding answer 10 December 2002
	The existing terms of office of the Chair and Members of the AEBC expire at the end of January 2003. The AEBC is a public body and appointments and re-appointments are made under the Office of the Commissioner for Public Appointments' Code of Practice for Ministerial Appointments to Public Bodies. As part of this process, I am currently consulting with my Cabinet colleagues and with Ministers in the Devolved Administrations.

Bank Holidays

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans she has to count bank holidays as statutory paid annual leave.

Alan Johnson: There are no current proposals to count bank holidays as statutory paid annual leave.

Benefit Payments (Disabled People)

Ian Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what advice disabled and infirm people will get to help to decide what method they should use to help with benefit payments in Post Offices.

Malcolm Wicks: I have been asked to reply.
	There will be a range of accounts available for people. The Department will provide customers with information (including letters and leaflets) which clearly sets out the account options as part of the move to Direct Payment. Customers, including those with a disability, will then be able to consider the options available and choose the account that best meets their needs and circumstances. They will be asked to provide details of their chosen account so that the Department can begin to pay their benefit or pensions by Direct Payment.
	Post Office card account customers will also be able to give third party access to a nominated individual who will be able to access their account via a second card and a separate PIN.
	It has always been recognised that there will be some customers who are unable to use any of the banking options or the Post Office card account. For these people we are currently exploring the options available to ensure they receive their benefit at outlets which will include the Post Office.

BNFL

Alan Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what evaluation her Department has made of reports produced by the BNFL Stakeholder Dialogue; and what the departmental representation is on the BNFL Stakeholder Dialogue.

Brian Wilson: The aim of the BNFL Stakeholder Dialogue is to inform BNFL's decision-making process about the improvement of their environmental performance in the context of their overall development. It is therefore up to BNFL, and not my Department, to evaluate the reports that come out of this work, but it is clear that the company greatly value the Dialogue process.
	The Department is a strong supporter of the Dialogue and is represented on several of the working groups, as well as the Main Group that oversees the entire process.

Digital Marketplace

Tim Yeo: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what progress has been made towards the target set in 1998 for achievement by the end of Parliament to increase to 1 million the number of SMEs wired up to the digital market place.

Patricia Hewitt: holding answer 26 November 2002
	1. To ensure that 1.5 million micro, small and medium-sized businesses are 'connected' by 2002. (Competitiveness White Paper implementation plan)
	2. To have one million SMEs trading online by 2002. (Competitiveness White Paper implementation plan)
	The target of ensuring that 1.5 million SMEs are connected was achieved in 2000, as indicated by that year's International Benchmarking Study (IBS). The 2002 IBS, published on 3rd December 2002, has shown a recent drop in the numbers of SMEs going on line, however the target continues to be achieved, with just over 1.5 million SMEs now connected.
	The total level of e-commerce continues to increase as those companies that trade online do see an increasing volumes. Through UK Online for Business, we continue to help SME's make the best use of information in communication technology.

Doha Trade Round

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations she made to the EU Trade Commissioner in advance of the World Trade Organisation's general council meeting about the agreements which need to be made to retain broad support from developing countries for the Doha trade round; and if she will make a statement about progress made to date on the negotiations in this round.

Patricia Hewitt: Negotiations are in full flow and technical progress has been made in most areas of the negotiations.
	I am in regular contact with Commissioner Lamy and have spoken to him recently. I stressed, in particular, the importance of reaching an agreement on how WTO members without sufficient manufacturing capacity in the pharmaceutical sector can make use of compulsory licensing for essential medicines; and on reaching agreement on special and differential treatment for developing countries. Looking to the future, progress on these issues and on agriculture will have to be made to ensure that development countries continue to support the Doha trade round.

Employment Tribunals

Colin Pickthall: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what arrangements are made for citizens who have applied to serve as lay members of employment tribunals and have been turned down to be briefed about the reasons for their rejection.

Patricia Hewitt: holding answer 12 December 2002
	Feedback for candidates on their application for these posts is available on request from the consultants organising this recruitment competition, Capita Ras, and has been given to those who have asked for it. It was not automatically offered to candidates because of the large numbers involved—nearly 4,500 candidates applied for some 250 posts. My Department will publish an evaluation report on this exercise in due course, which will include an assessment of feedback arrangements.

Energy Sector (Government Support)

Andrew Stunell: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much (a) direct and (b) indirect Government financial support has been made available to the energy sector in each year since 1990, excluding the nuclear and renewables industries.

Brian Wilson: holding answer 27 November 2002
	The table shows how much direct Government financial support has been made available to the energy sector in each year since 1990, excluding the nuclear and renewables industries.
	I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to him today, PQ No. 82803, for further information on how the figures were assembled.
	
		# million 
		
			  Direct 
		
		
			 1990–91 149.6 
			 1991–92 465.2 
			 1992–93 652.9 
			 1993–94 431.7 
			 1994–95 211.7 
			 1995–96 8.4 
			 1996–97 4.9 
			 1997–98 4.9 
			 1998–99 4.6 
			 1999–2000 4.5 
			 2000–01 81.3 
			 2001–02 66.6 
		
	
	Note:
	There was no indirect Government financial support.

Energy Sector (Government Support)

Andrew Stunell: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much (a) direct and (b) indirect Government support has been given to the energy sector in each year since 1990.

Brian Wilson: holding answer 27 November 2002
	I refer the hon. Member to the replies I gave him on 16 November 2001, Official Report, columns 918–19W and 17 December 2001, Official Report, column 102W. Since those figures were compiled, an error has been corrected in the 1990–91 figure for indirect Government support. In addition, there are minor increases in figures for direct Government support for years 1998–99 to 2000–01 to reflect the Research Council's more detailed investigation of their investments in sustainable energy.
	The following table incorporates these amendments and includes expenditure for 2001–02.
	
		Total support for the energy sector -- # million
		
			 Year Direct Indirect 
		
		
			 1990–91 292.1 1,271.1 
			 1991–92 579.4 809.7 
			 1992–93 822.0 892.9 
			 1993–94 603.5 963.1 
			 1994–95 379.2 988.4 
			 1995–96 245.2 793.5 
			 1996–97 202.0 112.8 
			 1997–98 220.4 126.5 
			 1998–99 325.1 127.0 
			 1999–2000 234.8 56.4 
			 2000–01 342.1 64.9 
			 2001–02 356.2 94.0 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. The figures for direct support include:
	(a) Direct Government funding for research and development on renewable energy through the DTI's Sustainable Energy Programme and through Research Councils via the Science Budget
	(b) Support for the coal industry but excluding the impact of debt-write-offs and proceeds at the privatisation of British Coal and payments made in respect of historic liabilities retained in the public sector, such as health claims
	(c) Support for nuclear based on the funding to the UKAEA details of which were included in the reply to a parliamentary question from the hon. Member for Hazel Grove (Mr. Stunell) on 14 November 2001, Official Report, columns 756–57W.
	(d) Support for oil and gas production through Sustained Hydrocarbons Additional Recovery Programme (SHARP) and predecessor programmes, and development of new products and services and competitiveness improvement within the UK oil and gas supplies sector.
	2. The figures for indirect support include:
	(a) expenditure through the Non Fossil Fuel Obligation (NFFO), the Scottish Renewables Obligation and the Northern Ireland NFFO funded by the electricity consumer through the Fossil Fuel Levy in Great Britain and the variant arrangements in Northern Ireland.
	(b) The premium received by Nuclear Electric plc over and above the market price for electricity in the period 1990–96 details of which were provided in the reply to the hon. Member for Hazel Grove (Mr. Stunell) on 14 November 2001, Official Report, columns 756–57W.
	Since 1998 the Government have also worked with the oil and gas industry through the Oil and Gas Industry Task Force, now PILOT, to identify and deliver the measures necessary to ensure continued profitable activity on the UK Continental Shelf.
	The Government are currently providing British Energy with a credit facility of up to #650 million in respect of the period up to 9 March 2003 and has taken security for the loan over the company's assets. The facility has been provided in respect of the company's working capital requirements and cash collateral for trading in the UK and North America. As of 28 November the company has drawn down #382 million of the facility available to them.

Fuel Poverty

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what analysis she has made of the merits of the programmes run by energy companies with the aim of helping to end fuel poverty.

Brian Wilson: The Department has piloted a survey to monitor the impacts of company schemes aimed at tackling fuel poverty. The main objectives of the survey are to assess:
	1. the number of households helped;
	2. to what extent the households have benefited;
	3. the extent to which they are schemes which operate under the energy supplier's mandatory Energy Efficiency Commitment (EEC—formerly EESoP); and
	4. whether these schemes are an important contribution to fuel poverty alleviation and whether they harness company creativity.
	The data collected via this survey are currently being finalised, but preliminary analyses suggest that about 1.5 million households have benefited from these schemes. About 0.5 million of these are from schemes that are not EEC (or EESoPs) related. A more complete analysis will be included as part of the Government's UK Fuel Poverty Strategy progress report.

Horizon System

Ian Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether the Horizon system will be used for Smart cards to be issued for benefit payment after January 2003.

Stephen Timms: I understand from Post Office Ltd that the Horizon computer system will be used for payment of benefits at the post office counter using plastic bank cards including the plastic card for accessing the card account at the Post Office.

Kyoto Protocol

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what research her Department has undertaken into public attitudes towards the UK meeting its Kyoto obligations on renewable energy and the potential change in electricity prices to the consumer; and how the cost of electricity for consumers will affect the Government's policy of promoting renewable energy sources.

Brian Wilson: holding answer 5 December 2002
	The Department are carrying out a public attitude survey on renewable energy through the COI and this should be completed in the spring of next year. We also recently undertook a public consultation exercise as part of the preparatory work for the forthcoming Energy White Paper. This examined the public's priorities for energy policy, including the role of renewables and attitudes towards changes in gas and electricity prices. The finding from this exercise are published on the DTI website http://www.dti.gov.uk/energy/developep/pub con rep.shtml.
	In addition, DEFRA regularly undertakes surveys of public attitudes to the environment which include questions on people's awareness, concerns and knowledge of climate change.
	Most recently, the full results of the Xsurvey of public attitudes to quality of life and to the environment—2001" were published in October on the DEFRA website www.defra.gov.uk/environment/statistics/pubatt/index.htm.
	The target under the Renewables Obligation of 10 per cent. of electricity being generated from renewable sources by 2010 will make an important contribution towards the UK meeting its Kyoto targets. Achievement of the 10 per cent. target by 2010 would represent an annual saving of 2.5 million tonnes of carbon emissions. Achieving this renewables target is expected to cost an additional 4.4 per cent. on average electricity prices in 2010 over actual 1999 prices.

Renewable Energy

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will make a statement on the Government's role in encouraging the manufacture of renewable energy equipment in the United Kingdom.

Brian Wilson: The Renewables Obligation, which the Government introduced on 1 April 2002, is being backed by nearly #250 million of direct support measures to bring forward newer renewable energy technologies. In addition, in order to foster innovative research and development activity, the Government have increased provision for the New and Renewable Energy R&D programme to #19 million per year.
	This provides a substantial incentive to renewable energy generation in the UK, and creates a favourable climate too, for the expansion of renewable energy equipment and services.
	In March, the Government set up a new unit, Renewables UK, to maximise the UK's involvement in renewable energy projects in the UK and overseas. Renewables UK aims to encourage the UK renewable energy sector, including equipment manufacturers and service providers, to take advantage of the opportunities created by the Renewables Obligation.
	Renewables UK will be conducting a gap analysis to help define which technologies offer the best prospects for growth in UK manufacturing.

Royal Mail Group

Tim Yeo: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much net profit was made by the Royal Mail Group in each year since 1990.

Patricia Hewitt: The profit after tax for Royal Mail Group for each year since financial year 1989–90 is set out in the following table.
	
		
			 Year Profit (Loss) after Tax (# million) 
		
		
			 1989–90 3 
			 1990–91 31 
			 1991–92 152 
			 1992–93 187 
			 1993–94 195 
			 1994–95 314 
			 1995–96 270 
			 1996–97 361 
			 1997–98 447 
			 1998–99 496 
			 1999–2000 (264) 
			 2000–01 49 
			 2001–02 (940)

Rural Post Offices

Tim Yeo: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry pursuant to her answer to the hon. Member for Blaby (Mr. Robathan) of 2 December 2002, Official Report, column 518W, on the rural post office network, how much of the #450 million that will be made available for rural post offices from 2003–06 is paid out of funds derived from past profits made by the Royal Mail group and its predecessors.

Patricia Hewitt: In line with my statement on 2 December, #450 million of Government money will be made available from #1.8 billion of gilts which Royal Mail group hold on behalf of Government. The gilts represent accumulated past dividends and cash generated by the business.
	Unlike previous Governments we have decided to release these funds for investment, including in the post office network.

Science and Engineering Base

Tim Yeo: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what progress has been made towards the target set in 1998 for the period 1999–2002, to improve the overall international ranking of the science and engineering base in terms of (a) quality, (b) relevance and (c) cost-effectiveness.

Patricia Hewitt: holding answer 26 November 2002
	The quality of the science and engineering base is currently measured by the UK's world ranking in terms of citations of published papers. Over the period 1981–2000 the UK received a 9.1 per cent. share of the citations in the international Science Citation Index which placed the UK second overall to the USA.
	Relevance is measured by the UK's world ranking in terms of the proportion of Higher Education Institute funding from non-governmental sources. For the latest year (1999), the UK's ranking was first among the G7 countries.
	Cost effectiveness is measured by the UK's world ranking in terms of the number of papers published per #1 million of public expenditure on science. In 1990, 1993, 1996 and 2000, the most recent year in which the measurement was made, the UK was the leading country in the G7.

Sellafield

Kevin McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what consideration has been given to the request for the Irish Radiological Protection Institute to be given access to the BNFL plant at Sellafield parallel to that already given to the UN International Atomic Agency.

Brian Wilson: The regulation of activities at the Sellafield site is a matter solely for the relevant competent UK authorities acting under regulatory powers granted to them under relevant UK law. The UK would not afford a right of access to plants at Sellafield to an interested foreign organisation. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has the right to make inspections by approved IAEA safeguards inspectors in accordance with the provisions of the UK's safeguards agreement with the European Atomic Energy Community and the IAEA.

Telephone Conversations

Tim Yeo: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will list the (a) dates and (b) purpose of (i) meetings and (ii) telephone conversations between Ministers in her Department and (A) the chairman and (B) the chief executive of the Royal Mail group or its predecessors since 8 June 2001.

Patricia Hewitt: As shareholder of Royal Mail Holdings plc, I have had numerous conversations on the telephone and in person, mainly with the chairman, Allan Leighton, during this period. We discussed a wide range of issues affecting the company, including the company's performance, the renewal plans and the finance package for the company.

Urban Reinvention

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when the list of proposed post office closures, as part of the Urban Reinvention programme, will be announced.

Stephen Timms: Post Office Ltd. do not have a predetermined list of offices which will close under their urban reinvention programme, nor is there any arithmetical formula which will determine the number of closures in any given area.
	Proposals for closures under the programme will be determined by how many offices are close to each other in the area, the current and projected business volumes and whether individual sub-postmasters have indicated that they want to leave the network. Factors of high importance to customers will also be carefully considered. These include the proximity and convenience of access of other branches, public transport links, facilities for the disabled and the ability of other branches to absorb the work without detriment to service. Before any changes are made, a formal consultation process will be carried out in accordance with the Code of Practice on Post Office Closures, with local communities, interest groups, councillors and MPs. In every instance there will also be extensive consultation with the consumer body, Postwatch.

Wind Farms

Mr. Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry 
	(1)  what discussions her Department has had with the British Wind Energy Association about radar interference and wind farms;
	(2)  what discussions her Department has had with civilian airlines about the impact of wind farms on radar equipment.

Brian Wilson: The Wind Energy, Defence and Civil Aviation Interest Working Group, which was set up and is chaired by the Department, provides a forum for addressing the effect of wind turbines on defence and civil aviation activities including their impact on radar functioning. The membership of the of the working group covers a wide range of stakeholders including the British Wind Energy Association, the Ministry of Defence, the Civil Aviation Authority and National Air Traffic Services. The latter two organisations have an interest in ensuring that wind farms do not compromise the safety of civil aviation operations including radar functioning.
	In October the working group produced interim guidelines on wind energy and aviation interest which provide guidance to wind farm developers on a range of issuesincluding the location of turbines in the vicinity of radar installations. Copies of the document are being deposited in the Libraries of the House. The guidelines are part of the programme of work outlined in the reply to the answer given to my hon. Friend on 11 December 2002, Official Report, column 329W.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Business Start-Up Strategy

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps have been taken to implement the new business start up strategy.

Ian Pearson: A draft Business Birth Rate strategy is being finalised by Invest Northern Ireland and will be issued for public consultation in January 2003. On completion of this consultation process a detailed implementation plan will be put into effect.

Clean Air

David Burnside: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what consultation with the business sector was undertaken by the Department of the Environment in Northern Ireland with regard to the regulatory framework concerning clean air under the Environment (Northern Ireland) Order 2002.

Angela Smith: The Department carried out a full consultation exercise with various interested parties, which included Northern Ireland Transport Holding Company, Translink, Freight Transport Association, Retail Motor Industry Federation and the Road Haulage Association. The consultation document was also advertised in local newspapers and published on the Departments website. No concerns were raised by the business sector.

Environment

David Burnside: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what controls there will be on the powers of authorised officers regarding their authority to enter residential premises under the provisions of the Environment (Northern Ireland) Order 2002.

Angela Smith: The purpose of Part II of the Order is to minimise or reduce the pollution caused by emissions from industrial installations. The powers of entry provided for by this Part will be exercisable only in respect of such installations. In practice, they are not expected to have any application to residential premises except in the unlikely event that relevant industrial activities are carried out on such premises.
	Part III of the Order deals with local air quality management and makes provision for only authorised persons to enter any premises used for residential purposes. Such persons must be authorised by an enforcing authority, ie, the Department of the Environment or a district council. In addition, entry onto residential premises must be either with the consent of a person who occupies the premises or under the authority of a warrant issued by a Justice of the Peace. These provisions are similar to those in other existing Northern Ireland environmental legislation, and are necessary to fulfil the required functions in Part III of the Order.

Environment

David Burnside: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what protection will be afforded to owners of property in lands adjacent to areas of special scientific interest under the Environment (Northern Ireland) Order 2002.

Angela Smith: The provisions relating to Areas of Special Scientific Interest (ASSIs) within the Environment (NI) Order do not impose any restrictions on land which lies adjacent to an existing ASSI. There is therefore no requirement to afford protection to the owners or occupiers of such land.
	Article 43 of the Order will enable the Department to enter into an agreement with the owner or occupier of land which is adjacent to an ASSI in order to conserve or enhance its wildlife interests. Such agreements are entirely voluntary. A similar power already exists in relation to ASSIs in Article 9 of the Nature Conservation and Amenity Lands Order (NI) 1985.
	Article 30 of the Environment Order enables the Department to increase the area of an ASSI. This power will be subject to similar requirements to those applying for new ASSI declarations, including arrangements for representations or objections to be made.

Giant's Causeway

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many applications have been received by the Northern Ireland Tourist Board for financial assistance to construct visitor centres at the Giant's Causeway, County Antrim; and whether the Northern Ireland Tourist Board has made a decision on the number of visitor centres it is prepared to support financially at the Giant's Causeway.

Ian Pearson: The Northern Ireland Tourist Board has received one application for financial assistance for the construction of a visitor centre at the Giant's Causeway. The application was received on 2 May 2002 and is currently being processed. The Northern Ireland Tourist Board has not made any decision relative to the funding of any visitor centre nor has the board determined the number of visitor centres it is prepared to support.

Hospital Staff (Employment Records)

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether it is normal practice to destroy the employment records of staff employed by a hospital; and whose decision it is to destroy such records.

Des Browne: Staff in a hospital are normally employed by the health and social services trust responsible for managing the hospital. My Department has instructed trusts to retain the employment records of staff for not less than six years after the person leaves that employment or reaches the age of 70, whichever is the later.

Human Organs Inquiry

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the cost was of the Human Organs Inquiry; and if he will make a statement on the availability to the inquiry of secondary back-up data from 1965 to 1975.

Des Browne: The cost of the Human Organs Inquiry was #405,867.This figure includes all costs incurred by the inquiry, including the printing and launch of its report. The inquiry team had access to all available data, but acknowledged in its report the inadequacy of record keeping in the past. At the Royal Victoria hospital there was a record of each post mortem, but other records, which may have shown what happened to organs that had been removed, were incomplete or missing.

Intergovernmental Councils

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many meetings of (a) the North/South Ministerial Council and (b) the British/Irish Council have taken place in each year since their formation.

Paul Murphy: The numbers of meetings were as follows:
	
		
			 Institution/Year Number 
		
		
			 North/South Ministerial Council  
			 1999 1 
			 2000 22 
			 2001 24 
			 2002 18 
			 British/Irish Council  
			 1999 1 
			 2000 2 
			 2001 1 
			 2002 4

Intergovernmental Councils

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much has been spent in each year since their formation on the running costs of the (a) North/South Ministerial Council, (b) British/Irish Council, and (c) Northern Ireland Civic Forum.

Paul Murphy: The running costs to the Northern Ireland Administration were as follows:
	
		# 
		
			 Institution Running costs 
		
		
			 North/South Ministerial Council(1)  
			 1999–2000 94,949 
			 2000–01 737,162 
			 2001–02 787,609 
			 2002–03 466,800 
			   
			 British/Irish Council(2)  
			 1999–2000 6,365 
			 2000–01 7,420 
			 2001–02 10,158 
			 2002–03 17,344 
			   
			 Northern Ireland Civic Forum(3)  
			 2000–01 145,000 
			 2001–02 450,000 
		
	
	(1) Expenditure by the Northern Ireland Administration includes salaries, administration and cost of meetings.
	(2) Includes cost of ministerial meetings in Northern Ireland and travel and subsistence costs for ministerial meetings outside Northern Ireland.
	(3) Includes cost of salaries, administration, meetings, Members expenses, printing of reports and researchers.

Invest Northern Ireland

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when a decision will be made on a future headquarters for Invest Northern Ireland.

Ian Pearson: Consideration of this matter is at an advanced stage and it is expected that a final decision will be made in the new year.

Mallusk Landfill Site

David Burnside: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will honour the commitment made by the former Northern Ireland Minister of the Environment to conduct an environmental assessment into the proposed landfill site at Mallusk.

Angela Smith: In July 2002, the previous Minister advised that an addendum updating and reviewing the original environmental statement, received in respect of this planning application would be required before a decision would issue. I can confirm that this remains the current position.
	Once received the addendum will be advertised to give the public an opportunity to make representations on the statement as amended.

Northern Ireland Civic Forum

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much has been spent on expenses claimed by members of the Northern Ireland Civic Forum in each year since its formation.

Paul Murphy: The total expenses claimed by members of the Civic Forum in each financial year since the forum's inception is as follows:
	
		
			  # 
		
		
			 October 2000 to March 2001 8,033 
			 April 2001 to March 2002 34,825 
			 April 2002 to October 2002 13,970

Orders in Council

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what criteria were applied when assessing which Northern Ireland legislation would be brought forward by means of Order in Council.

Paul Murphy: My main concerns are to ensure that the people of Northern Ireland are not disadvantaged by the suspension of the devolved institutions and that the good work on legislation started by the Executive and the Assembly is not wasted. If the institutions are not restored in the interim, my ministerial colleagues and I will do our utmost to deliver the bulk of the Executive's legislative programme at Westminster in a timeframe as close as possible to that envisaged by the Assembly.

Planning Aid Service

Eddie McGrady: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the time scale for the establishment of a planning aid service.

Angela Smith: : Planning Aid for Northern Ireland was established by the local branch of the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) and launched at the Millennium Planning Conference in Belfast on 22 June 2000. It has now been in existence for two and a half years. It is independent of Government.
	Planning Aid for Northern Ireland has approached the Department of the Environment for financial assistance in further developing the role of the service. The Department's Planning Service and RTPI jointly commissioned a feasibility study in September 2002, the purpose of which is to identify funding to develop a best value Planning Aid Service in Northern Ireland. The outcome of the feasibility study is expected in the New Year.

Planning

Eddie McGrady: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when the Consultation Paper on Third Party Planning Appeals will be issued; and if he will make a statement.

Angela Smith: I am aware of Dermot Nesbitt's commitment to publish a consultation paper before the end of 2002. However, I am also conscious of the potential implications which the introduction of a third party appeal right has for the operation of Northern Ireland's planning system and economy. I therefore wish to have a regulatory impact assessment carried out. I will wish to give this matter the most careful consideration, before I make a decision how to best deal with this important issue.

Planning

Eddie McGrady: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when the Implementation Plan for Modernising Planning Processes will be published; and if he will make a statement.

Angela Smith: While the 2002–03 Programme for Government target for publication of the Implementation Plan was November 2002, prior to suspension of the Assembly, the Planning Service had been awaiting the Environment Committee's response to the Modernising Planning Processes Consultation Paper.
	Suspension occurred before any representation was received from the Environment Committee, however over 160 responses were received to the consultation. These responses have been carefully analysed by Planning Service to inform and assist with the drafting of the Implementation Plan, publication of which is expected shortly.

Pre-School Funding

Roy Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many and what per cent. of under three-year-olds have been eligible for free pre-school education in Northern Ireland in each of the last three years.

Jane Kennedy: Pre-school places in the statutory sector are, as has been the case since the early 1970s, open to children from two years old to the lower limit of compulsory school age. In all cases, however, applications from children in their immediate pre-school year are given priority ahead of younger children. Children in their penultimate pre-school year who attend nursery schools and units are therefore occupying places that would otherwise be unfilled.
	In the past three years, the number of children attending statutory nursery schools and units who had not attained the age of three by the date of the School Census was as follows.
	
		
			  Number of children under three attending statutory settings Number of children under three as percentage of children attending statutory steetings Number of children under three as percentage of total number of children attending funded pre-school places 
		
		
			 1999–2000 1,090 8.8 6.9 
			 2000–01 992 7.1 5.6 
			 2001–02 1,423 11 7

Royal Victoria Hospital

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what use is being made of the stock of tissue, organs, samples or slides held by the Royal Victoria hospital pending instructions from relatives.

Jane Kennedy: Human tissue and organs obtained at post-mortem examination and retained by the Royal Victoria Hospital fall into two categories. Material obtained since the year 2000 is being used in accordance with relatives' wishes as expressed in writing at the time of giving consent to the post-mortem examination. All other material is being stored unused, unless relatives have specifically requested that tests, e.g. for cancer genetics, be carried out. This is an interim arrangement until new legislation and associated guidance is put is place.

Royal Victoria Hospital

Iris Robinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will set up a system of DNA verification to ensure remains from the Royal Victoria Hospital, Belfast, are given to the correct families.

Des Browne: DNA testing is a complex, time-consuming and costly procedure. A system for its widespread use on retained organs and tissue at the Royal Victoria Hospital could be justified only if there were a significant problem with the identification of retained material. I am satisfied that no such problem exists.

School Examinations

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has for the system to replace the 11 plus examination in Northern Ireland.

Jane Kennedy: No decisions have been taken about new transfer arrangements. In the responses to consultation a range of suggestions were made for future post-primary arrangements and my officials will be discussing these with our education partners and representatives of parents over the coming weeks. My aim is to develop a modern and fair education system which addresses the weaknesses of our current arrangements and enables all children to fulfil their potential.

Warm Homes Plus Scheme

Eddie McGrady: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when people qualifying for conversion of their home heating systems from solid fuel to oil or gas under the Warm Homes Plus scheme will have their work carried out.

Des Browne: The temporary partial suspension of the Warm Homes Plus scheme was introduced in the early summer following a technical report that called into question the safety of converting, to oil or gas, heating systems that use high output solid fuel back boilers or room heaters. Such appliances have been found in about half of all properties eligible for new heating systems under the scheme. Installation or conversion of heating systems in other properties is continuing as before. My prime concern is for the well-being of people who have works carried out under the Warm Homes Plus scheme, and I am aiming for the shortest possible interruption of the scheme that is consistent with their safety.

WALES

Ministerial Engagements

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales 
	(1)  how many engagements were undertaken outside London (a) by him or his predecessor and (b) by Ministers in his Department in January (i) 2000, (ii) 2001 and (iii) 2002;
	(2)  to which bodies his Department makes appointments; how many members there are (a) in total and (b) in each body; and how many of those appointed are (i) business men, (ii) business men in SMEs and (iii) business men in micro-businesses.

Peter Hain: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him today, by my hon. Friend the Minister of State for the Cabinet Office.

Sustainability Strategy

Sue Doughty: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what the sustainability strategy is for his Department; and if he will make a statement on how it has changed since the World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg.

Peter Hain: My Department is small with no executive functions and, therefore, is limited in the contribution it can make to the UK's sustainable development strategy. It has no independent sustainability strategy of its own but in line with the Government's strategy, carries out its functions with the aim of integrating economic, environmental and social policies to ensure a better quality of life for everyone, now and for future generations. This means achieving four objectives simultaneously:
	Maintenance of high and stable levels of economic growth and employment;
	Effective protection of the environment;
	Prudent use of natural resources; and
	Social progress that meets the needs of everyone.
	The outcome of the World Summit on Sustainable Development, and first views on follow-up, will be reflected in the annual report on UK progress on sustainable development for 2002.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Andrew Smith

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to his Answers of 5 December 2002, Official Report, columns 954–5W and 962W what discussions his Department had with Andrew Smith; when and where these took place; who attended each meeting; and what telephone discussions officials have had with Mr.Smith.

Bill Rammell: In addition to the meeting referred to in my previous answer (UIN 82998 and UIN 83034 of 5 December 2002), Andrew Smith has had minimal contact with the British High Commission in Sierra Leone, regarding Sierra National Airlines (SNA). Mr. Smith is a Director of West Africa Airways which, until October 2002, held the contract for managing the services of SNA. He has telephoned the Foreign and Commonwealth Office on a few occasions. These discussions were held in confidence. British officials did not at any time encourage, support or promote Mr. Smith's activities in Zimbabwe and the DRC.
	I am withholding details of who was present at these meetings, and further details of what was discussed, including in telephone calls under exemption 1b of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information (Information which would harm the conduct of international relations or affairs) and exemption 14b (information the disclosure of which without the consent of the supplier would prejudice the future supply of such information).

Arms Exports

Michael Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what end-use monitoring agreements relating to the export of military products have been signed in the last five years with (a) Angola, (b) Cameroon, (c) Eritrea, (d) Ethiopia, (e) Ghana, (f) Kenya, (g) Mozambique, (h) Sierra Leone, (i) Sudan, (j) Tanzania, (k) Uganda, (l) Zambia, (m) Bolivia, (n) Guyana and (o) Republic of Yemen; and what end-use monitoring mechanisms exist in each case.

Mike O'Brien: We have signed no end-use monitoring agreements with these countries. If any end-use monitoring arrangements or assurances are exceptionally put in place with a country, they do not take the form of a signed agreement.

Global Crossing

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to his Answer of 25th November, Official Report, column 80W, on Global Crossing, if he will place the implementation timetable in the Library; how many times there have been circuit interruptions each month since the service level agreements have been in place; and if he will make a statement.

Bill Rammell: The formal implementation timetable forms part of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office Telecommunications Network (FTN) contract with Global Crossing. I am therefore withholding information about it under Exemption 13 of The Code of Practice on Access to Government Information (Third Party's commercial confidences).
	There have been some interruptions to FTN service, as is to be expected from a world-wide network connecting the FCO with 155 of its overseas missions. But the overall performance has been good, and has served the FCO well. Where the responsibility for bringing the network back into operational use has rested with Global Crossing, the SLA requirements have been met. Global Crossing have performed according to contract.

Hawk Jets

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent reports he has received from the UN, regarding the supply of Hawk jet spare parts to the Democratic Republic of Congo; and what conclusions have been reached as a result.

Bill Rammell: We have seen no reports from the UN on this matter. We are still in discussion with the UN about the allegations in the UN panel report on exploitation of resources in the DRC. The Security Council is considering the extension of the panel's mandate to allow discussion to continue.

Mr. John Bredenkamp

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answers of 18 November, Official Report, columns 9–10W, where the two meetings between Mr. John Bredenkamp and British High Commission officials in Zimbabwe took place; when the meetings took place; who was present at each of these meetings; who spoke to Mr. Bredenkamp in each of his two telephone calls; and what items were addressed in (a) the two meetings and (b) the two telephone conservations between Mr. Bredenkamp and officials.

Bill Rammell: holding answer 25 November 2002
	The two meetings between British High Commission officials and Mr John Bredenkamp took place in the High Commission in Harare. The meetings were held on 14 November 2001 and 11 March 2002 respectively, and both at Mr Bredenkamp's request. The discussions were held in confidence, and covered a range of issues. During them, British officials neither encouraged, nor expressed support for, Mr Bredenkamp's business activities.
	I am withholding details of who was present at these meetings, and further details of what was discussed, including in the telephone conversations, under exemption 1b of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information (Information which would harm the conduct of international relations or affairs) and exemption 14b (information the disclosure of which without the consent of the supplier would prejudice the future supply of such information).

Oil Revenues

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the total volume is of unspent oil revenues in the escrow account of the UN oil-for-food programme.

Mike O'Brien: As of 11 December US$3.3 billion of 'Oil For Food' revenue remained unallocated by Iraq in the UN escrow account.

Oil Revenues

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what proportion of the oil revenues allocated for (a) Iraq and (b) Iraqi Kurdistan are allocated to (i) the UN Compensation Fund and (ii) UN administrative expenses.

Mike O'Brien: Revenues from the sale of Iraqi oil under the Oil For Food (OFF) programme are deposited in a UN escrow account. 59% of this revenue is allocated to the UN humanitarian programme in Baghdad-controlled Iraq, and 13% to the programme in northern Iraq. The UN Compensation Fund receives 25% to meet claims arising from Iraq's invasion of Kuwait, and 3% is allocated to the UN administration of the OFF programme.

Oil Revenues

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what actions the Government is taking to enable the unspent oil revenues allocated for Iraqi Kurdistan in the escrow account of the UN oil-for food programme to be disbursed; and when she last discussed the volume of unspent oil revenues in the UN oil-for food escrow account allocated with representatives of the Office for Iraq Programme.

Mike O'Brien: Officials continue to press the Office of the Iraq Programme (OIP) to ensure that the revenues in the UN escrow account allocated to the UN humanitarian programme in northern Iraq are used in full. They also discuss these issues regularly with Kurdish representatives.

September 11 Terrorist Attacks (Mr. Sheikh)

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he has received a response from the Pakistan Government for his request for information on the detention of Mr. Sheikh; and if it provides evidence of a link between Mr. Sheikh and the September 11 attacks.

Mike O'Brien: holding answer 9 December 2002
	Since our request for information, we have discussed the case with the Pakistani authorities, made clear our opposition to the death penalty and requested access to Omar Sheikh and confirmation of his nationality status. We understand that Omar Sheikh is currently appealing against his conviction for his involvement in the abduction and murder of Daniel Pearl, for which he has been sentenced to death. As the legal process is ongoing, it would be inappropriate to comment on possible linkages to other terrorist crimes.

Visas

Michael Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on what grounds a visa was issued to Mr. C. Pasipamire of Zimbabwe; whether Mr. Pasipamire is subject to EU sanctions; and if he will make a statement on Mr. Pasipamire's presence in the United Kingdom.

Jack Straw: The British High Commission in Harare issued a visitor's visa to Mr C. Pasipamire. His application was assessed in accordance with the UK Immigration Rules. He satisfied the relevant criteria and he is not subject to EU sanctions. His stay in the UK will be governed by the terms of his visa.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Afghanistan

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment she has made of plans to create a national army in Afghanistan.

Clare Short: President Karzai issued a decree on 1 December 2002, setting out a plan for establishing a national army. A copy is being placed in the Libraries. We welcome the announcement as an integral part of the wider reform and reconstruction process. A professional multi ethnic military force and defence institutions accountable to appropriate civilian control and oversight will be developed, with the support of the US as lead nation, for the coordination of assistance to the Afghan national army. Detailed implementation plans will now be prepared, with support from UNAMA and donor countries. The UK has already pledged to contribute #10 million from the Global Conflict Prevention Pool to the interim payment of army salaries for the newly trained force, provided the Afghan Government fulfils certain transparency and accountability criteria that the UK has set as a precondition for these payments.

Afghanistan

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what discussions she has had with the Government of Afghanistan on recent fighting between warlords.

Clare Short: There continues to be low level inter-factional fighting in Afghanistan. This underlines the need to provide assistance to the Afghan Administration in the building of appropriate defence and security forces that are able to improve security for the Afghan people and maintain Afghanistan's territorial integrity. The recent presidential decree on the Armed Forces and disarmament demobilisation and reintegration programme should initiate that process and facilitate the extension of the central government's authority to the regions.

Agriculture (Developing Countries)

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on her Department's policy on supporting agriculture in developing countries.

Clare Short: My Department recently published an Issues paper on agriculture: XBetter Livelihoods for Poor People: The role of Agriculture", which sets out the Department's policy on supporting agriculture in developing countries. I launched this paper at a side event to the recent World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) in Johannesburg. I have arranged for copies of the paper to be placed in the House of Commons Library. The paper is also available on the Department's website: www.dfid.gov.uk under Publications, Environment, Natural Resources and Land Tenure.

Corruption

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development when the transparency initiative on cooperation on anti-corruption in developing countries announced at the WSSD was introduced; which countries have signed up to the initiative; which companies are formal partners to the initiative; and if she will make a statement on the results of the initiative.

Clare Short: The Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative was announced by the Prime Minister at the World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg in September 2002.
	At that time, Norway, Italy, Indonesia and the Central African Republic committed to developing a framework to promote transparency. Now, the G8, plus Australia, Netherlands, Belgium, South Africa, Algeria, Equatorial Guinea, Senegal and Botswana are interested and keen to engage on the substance of the initiative. We are following up with key producer countries, such as Angola, Sudan, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Brazil and Venezuela. Discussions are taking place with NEPAD leaders.
	Extractive companies backing the initiative in Johannesburg include: BP, Shell, Rio Tinto, BMP Billiton and Anglo-American, with others (TotalFinaElf, Talisman and Statoil) expressing interest in getting involved.
	Momentum is growing behind the initiative. We are building awareness of the issues and exploring options for achieving transparency. The UK will host an international conference (involving Ministers, senior officials, industry and NGO leaders) to take the initiative forward in the run up to the G8 summit, in April 2003, at which more stakeholders will formally become partners in the initiative.

Corruption

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development when her Department intends to host the international meeting involving all existing and prospective partners to the transparency initiative on anti-corruption in developing countries; where this meeting will take place; and at what cost.

Clare Short: The international conference (involving ministers, senior officials, international institutions, industry and NGO leaders) to build international consensus for action and, we hope, agree on a preferred mechanism to achieve transparency of payments and revenues in the extractive sector will take place in late April 2003. The conference will be hosted in London; details of the date and location will be available early in the New Year.
	This will be preceded by an international multi-stakeholder workshop on 11 and 12 February 2003 to explore the best mechanisms for achieving transparency of payments and to help build the international coalition. This meeting will take place in London, at the Thistle Victoria Hotel. Invitations to this meeting will be issued before the start of the New Year.
	The budget for the international workshop is #40,000, covering the venue, facilitation, catering and travel costs for participants from developing countries.

Developing Countries (Privatisation)

Parmjit Dhanda: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what monitoring her Department is undertaking of the impact of the privatisation of basic services in developing countries on the accessibility of these services to the poorest people.

Clare Short: Public private partnerships for the delivery of basic services offer important opportunities for improving the accessibility and quality of services, and for reducing costs, for poor people. However, these benefits are not automatically secured. Our country programme staff are involved—often in the context of their policy dialogue on poverty reduction strategies—in specific cases. We provide technical assistance to make sure that poverty reduction is achieved, including through the PPIAF (Public Private Infrastructure Advisory Facility).

East Timor

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on (a) the state of alert declared in East Timor and (b) the progress East Timor has made since independence.

Clare Short: The Government of East Timor and donor partners met in Dili on 9 and 10 December to review the progress the new nation has made since independence. All parties agreed that economic and budgetary management by the Government had been excellent. Oil and gas revenues from the Timor Gap remain promising and offer the prospect of longer term economic security.
	However East Timor suffers from acute shortages of qualified and experienced personnel and this has meant that essential social services have not been delivered to many communities in rural areas. The Government and the international community are working to secure the necessary expertise in order to redress the situation.
	The riot in Dili on 4 December appears to have been sparked by heavy handed policing, but was exacerbated by frustration at the slow pace of development. This is directly linked to the difficulties the Government is having in delivering essential services.
	The riot was brought under control in a matter of hours. The events have emphasised to the Government of East Timor the need to work harder to deliver benefits equitably to the people of East Timor, and the need for continued training and development of the police service. Two Commissions have been established, one by Parliament and the second an independent Commission initiated by the Prime Minister, to investigate the causes of the riot, and the response of the police. These are expected to report in a matter of days.

Education

Parmjit Dhanda: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps she is taking to enable quicker implementation of the World bank's initiative to fast-track new donor funds for countries demonstrating progress in improving education.

Clare Short: Improving education outcomes for poor people is not primarily about donor resources. Our approach to the Fast Track Initiative is to help partner Governments put the policies and plans in place that will enable them to accelerate the achievement of universal primary education. It is important that these plans take into account the circumstances and needs of the individual country. Seven countries have prepared proposals but these need to be rigorously reviewed by local donor groups, to ensure that they are coherent with each country's existing plans (including poverty reduction strategies and medium-term economic frameworks or their equivalent), and to confirm that countries have the capacity to absorb any additional finance.

Ethiopia

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on the impact which population growth is having on the ability of Ethiopia to reach the United Nations' millennium development goals.

Clare Short: Ethiopia's population of 67 million is growing at 2.7 per cent. per annum. Rapid population growth makes it harder to achieve the millennium development goals; when households have many children, investment in education or health per child tends to be lower, especially for poor people.
	Population pressure on natural resources in some parts of Ethiopia is leading to environmental degradation, undermining the livelihoods of rural people. The objective of the Government of Ethiopia's national population policy is to maintain balance between the size of the population and the country's resource base. Through activities in the health sector and on female education the aim of the policy is to reduce fertility rates, increase rates of contraceptive prevalence and reduce maternal, infant and child morbidity and mortality rates.

Family Planning

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what her Department is doing to give women in developing countries better access to family planning and sexual health services.

Clare Short: The International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) goal of universal access to reproductive health (through the primary health care system) is central to attainment of the health MDGs. The UK remains firmly committed to achievement of the ICPD Programme of Action and to the principles and rights it stands for. It is as relevant today as it was in 1994.
	In 2001/02, DFID invested over #220 million bilaterally in sexual and reproductive health (including HIV/AIDS). We also made significant contributions to multilateral agencies covering sexual and reproductive health including, United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), World Health Organisation (WHO), World Bank and the European Community (EC).

Famine (Africa)

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment her Department has made of the size of the land plots allocated to families in (a) Ethiopia, (b) Malawi and (c) Burundi.

Clare Short: Ethiopia underwent a major land redistribution campaign in 1975. Land was then taken into state ownership and limited rights of access were given to peasants who farmed it. Since then, increasing population has decreased the size of the individual farm holdings. DFID-funded research that was carried out in 2002 found that the average plot size was 1.41 Ha per household. In a recent comparative study of five African countries (funded by USAID) the equivalent figure quoted for Malawi was 0.99 Ha per household (National Economic Council, Malawi, 2000).
	We do not have a recent assessment of the average plot size for Burundi.However, caution should be used about drawing any direct links between plot size and production.

Famine (Africa)

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment she has made of the causes of the famine in (a) Southern Africa and (b) Ethiopia.

Clare Short: The problem in southern Africa is one of declining access to food. Poor people are becoming more and more vulnerable to food shortage, as successive harvest failures have eroded their savings and other assets and hence their ability to cope. HIV/AIDS and other disease burdens are compounding this problem. Inappropriate policies, serious governmance failures and a shortage of foreign exchange have contributed to a failure to come to grips with the poverty which lies at the root of this vulnerability. There have also been poor information flows and planning in relation to the short-term response to the humanitarian crisis.
	The problem of vulnerability is also extreme in Ethiopia—one of the poorest countries in the world ranking 168 out of 173 on the Human Development Index. Vast numbers of households lack the savings or other assets to cope with even minor shocks, let alone the significant reduction in harvest caused by rain failure in 2002. Government has rural development policies in place but capacity constraints are limiting impact. The systems for short-term response to humanitarian crises are relatively well-developed and function adequately.

Famine (Africa)

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what role the early warning systems played in her Department's response to the famine in Ethiopia.

Clare Short: The early warning system (EWS) in Ethiopia is a combined Government of Ethiopia, UN and NGO initiative. This EWS is well developed and has played an important role in forecasting the likely humanitarian developments. We pay close attention to the information being provided from all sources to help ensure we respond in good time to help address the most urgent needs.

Famine (Africa)

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much aid her Department is giving to (a) Eritrea and (b) Sudan to cope with their famine.

Clare Short: We have given #1.35 million to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) 2002 Appeal for (a) Eritrea, and stand ready to provide more support in response to need. Officials from my Department plan to visit Eritrea early in the new year. Support this year to (b) Sudan to address basic humanitarian needs, including those as a result of food shortages, consists of #2 million to the ICRC and a further #5 million through international non-government organisations and other agencies.

Focus Group Research

Graham Allen: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what use she and her Department has made of focus group research since June 2001; if he will identify for each research project the topics covered, the person or organisation carrying out the research, and the total cost; and if she will publish the research on her Department's website.

Clare Short: DFID has not made any direct use of focus group research since 2001. However within our work to raise awareness and understanding of development issues, we have funded a project with the BBC, which involved use of focus groups in the UK to analyse public understanding of international news stories. The results of this research havebeen published and widely disseminated. The work was carried out by Opinion Leader Research at a cost of #38,247.
	Also we do make frequent use of participatory poverty assessments (PPAs) in developing countries, a methodology which has challenged both traditional modes of poverty analysis and subsequent policy development. When implemented well PPAs allow policy makers a better understanding of how and why poverty occurs in particular contexts and the coping mechanisms adopted by the poor. Furthermore, PPAs provide a forum for the poor to voice their own demands for change in public service provision by reflecting on their own experiences in dealing with government services, their perspectives on the specific constraints they experience in trying to access services, and of the quality and relevance of those services.

Health Care and Education Spending

Parmjit Dhanda: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what plans she has to increase the proportion of UK overseas aid spent on basic health care and education.

Clare Short: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given to the hon. Member for Tewkesbury (Mr. Laurence Robertson) on 4 November 2002, Official Report, column 36W.

HIV/AIDS

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the (a) total volume and (b) proportion was of EU aid spent on HIV/AIDS in each of the last five years, in pounds sterling, broken down by region.

Clare Short: An average of #36.4 million per year has been spent by the EC on HIV/AIDS support in each of the last five years. This works out as less than 1 per cent. of the total EC development budget.
	Figures are not readily available for individual member states of the EU other than the UK. For the UK, bilateral expenditure on HIV/AIDS related work in developing countries is shown in the table.
	
		UK expenditure on HIV/AIDS related work as a percentage of total bilateral aid expenditure (# million)
		
			 Financial year HIV/AIDS spend Percentage of bilateral aid total 
		
		
			 1997–98 38 4 
			 1998–99 45 4 
			 1999–2000 75 6 
			 2000–01 125 9 
			 2001–02 200 13

HIV/AIDS

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what her Department is doing to help (a) children in developing countries orphaned due to AIDS and (b) child-run households as a result of AIDS.

Clare Short: Today, more than 14 million children under 15 years of age have lost one or both parents to AIDS; 11 million of them in sub-Saharan Africa. The implications are enormous—these children will grow up without parental supervision, support or care, many without an education, and alienated from society. Many will become vulnerable to exploitation, abuse and discrimination. Families, communities and NGOs are struggling to provide support.
	Working at the national level, we aim to ensure that orphaned and vulnerable children's issues are at the centre of national policies and budget planning, allocation and expenditure. In Zambia we are supporting UNICEF on a nationally co-ordinated community response aiming to protect children's rights, increase their access to social services (including health and education and psychosocial support) and combating stigma. We recognise that much more needs to be done to tackle this crisis and will continue to work at the regional and international level to support greater awareness and response to the escalating situation.

HIV/AIDS

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment her Department has made of the effect HIV/AIDS in developing countries will have on meeting the millennium development goals.

Clare Short: HIV/AIDS is already having a catastrophic impact on sub-Saharan Africa and in other parts of the world prevalence is expanding rapidly. The epidemic will have a serious effect on the millennium development goals:
	On the poverty goal: household expenditure rises as more is spent on health care and funerals-just as incomes are falling.
	On the education goal: HIV threatens teacher supply and can reduce primary enrolment (especially of girls to help with domestic tasks and care of family members).
	On poverty and food security: HIV threatens agricultural productivity, can reduce household food consumption by 15–30 per cent., and could kill a quarter of the agricultural work force in worst-affected countries by 2020.
	On child and maternal health: HIV is increasing mortality directly through infection, and indirectly through lack of adult carers; overburdened health systems are reducing access to health care.
	DFID's response to date has seen an increase in HIV/AIDS related expenditure from #38 million in 1997–98 to over #200 million in 2000–02. We are supporting work to strengthen health systems and to develop comprehensive HIV/AIDS prevention, care and mitigation programmes. We are also supporting the development and implementation of national strategies to combat the epidemic. DFID's support is part of a collective international response and includes significant support to the global fund to fight AIDS, TB and Malaria (GFATM).

Iraq

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what is being done to facilitate better communication between the military and aid agencies in advance of potential conflict with Iraq.

Clare Short: My Department has since 1997 had an increasingly close relationship with the Ministry of Defence and consults regularly with the Ministry on a range of issues at official and ministerial level.

Iraq

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development when she last met representatives of the UNHCR to discuss preparations for delivering aid to Iraqi refugees in the event of conflict in the region; and when she next expects to do so.

Clare Short: My Department supports UNHCR in its task of responding to humanitarian emergencies around the world, and as a part of that support, holds regular discussions with UNHCR on a range of issues.

Iraq

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what discussions she has had with (a) Jordan, (b) Syria, (c) Turkey, (d) Iran, (e) Kuwait and (f) Saudi Arabia regarding their policy towards accepting refugees from Iraq.

Clare Short: None.

Ministerial Meetings (Irish Government)

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, when Ministers in her Department have held meetings with Ministers and officials of the Irish Government since 1 June 2000; when and where each meeting took place; which Ministers were involved in each meeting; which Irish Government Department were involved in each meeting; and which Ministers and officials from the Irish Government attended each meeting.

Clare Short: Hilary Benn MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, attended the development policy forum in Belfast on 6 February 2002. He met Ms. Carmel Hanna MLA, Ministers for Employment and Learning and Chair of the All-Party Group on International Development, in the Northern Ireland Assembly. David Ford, Secretary of the Group, John Dallat MLA and The Lord Mayor of Belfast, Councillor Jim Ireland were also present.
	I have also met with the development Minister on a number of occasions in the margins of international meetings.

Ivory Coast

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment she has made of the fighting in the Ivory Coast, and in particular, the impact it has had on the refugee situation.

Clare Short: We are concerned at the continuing conflict in Cote d'lvoire and continue to work with others in the international community to support regional efforts to broker a viable peace agreement. Although precise figures are difficult to determine, large numbers of people, particularly among immigrant communities, but also Ivorian citizens and refugees, have been displaced due to the fighting. Most have found shelter in host communities or are in temporary camps. Several thousand migrant workers have returned to their countries of origin or crossed into neighbouring countries. At present, the west of the country seems worst affected due to on-going fighting between Government forces and new rebel groups, and the presence of large numbers of refugees from Liberia and Sierra Leone, many of whom have been displaced. According to UN reports, prior to the crisis, there were a total of 72,000 refugees living in Cote d'lvoire.
	Although the situation is not currently a humanitarian crisis, there are real needs and the situation could deteriorate quickly. We are in touch with various agencies operating in Cote d'lvoire and are considering what assistance we should provide.

Landmines (Angola)

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment she has made of the landmine problems in Angola; and how much money her Department has given to de-mining programmes in Angola.

Clare Short: My Department's Conflict and Humanitarian Affairs Department (CHAD) carried out an assessment mission to Angola in July to determine the extent of the humanitarian crisis there. They found that according to mine clearance agencies, the number of mines in Angola is now considerably lower than the previously estimated 13 million. Nevertheless, Angola remains one of the most heavily mined countries in the world. Earlier this month, the national coordinator of Angola's Inter-sectoral Commission for De-mining and Humanitarian Assistance (CNIDAH) estimated that Angola has about four to five million unexploded landmines. As many as 70,000 Angolans are believed to have lost limbs as a result of landmine explosions. Relief agencies in Angola also state that landmines continue to restrict the delivery of humanitarian assistance.
	My Department has allocated US$ 459,000 to UNDP for a project aimed at improving the effectiveness of mine action through strengthened coordination and planning at the provincial level in Angola. We will also be contributing 19.7 per cent. of the Euro6 million which the EC has recently made available for mine action in Angola. This includes Euro5 million for a variety of mine clearance agencies.

Landmines (Angola)

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what information displaced people of Angola are receiving to raise awareness of the problem of landmines.

Clare Short: UNICEF has a substantial programme of Mine Risk Education (MRE) in Angola. In the informal sector, UNICEF is providing support in terms of capacity building and financial subsidies to a network of six national NGOs conducting MRE in seven of the most mine-contaminated provinces in Angola: Moxico, Uige, Kuando Kubango, Bie, Huambo, Malanje and Huila. The MRE sessions have served resident, internally displaced populations (IDPs) and returning refugees alike, using drama, presentation, puppets and other ways of transmitting the message to the target groups. In 2002, UNICEF supported activities working within the informal sector reached over 230,000 beneficiaries.
	In addition, UNICEF, in conjunction with the National Institute for the Removal of Explosive Articles and Ordnance (INAROEE) and national and international MRE partners, has produced a total of 616 MRE radio programmes. These have been transmitted in Portuguese and national languages; including Kimbundo, Umbundo and Chokwe.

Macedonia

Frank Roy: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what financial aid the Government plans to give the Former Yugoslavia Republic of Macedonia in the next financial year.

Clare Short: The EC's planned expenditure for the Former Yugoslavia Republic of Macedonia for the 2003 calendar year is euros 38.5 million of which the DFID share will be euros 7.3 million or #4.7 million. In addition we have earmarked #2 million for bilateral technical assistance to the Former Yugoslavia Republic of Macedonia for the 2003–04 financial year.

Marie Stopes International

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what her policy is towards providing funds to Marie Stopes International; and if she will make a statement.

Clare Short: My Department's funding policy to any non-profit making organisation or network, including Marie Stopes International, is based on their ability to effectively contribute to the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals; and to my Department's overall objective which is the eradication of poverty.

National Democratic Institute

Michael Ancram: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on the financial accountability of the money given by her Department to the National Democratic Institute in the USA.

Clare Short: When the National Democratic Institute are working for DFID their accounts are open to DFID scrutiny and DFID itself operates within a financial and accounting control framework designed to comply with the requirements of Government Accounting. Adherence to procedures, and their effectiveness, is scrutinised internally by DFID's internal audit department. Regular external scrutiny is assured through the oversight of the Department's expenditure by the National Audit Office, whose reports are scrutinised by the Public Accounts Committee and placed before Parliament.

Overseas Aid

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment she has made of the OECD's figures on the proportion of UK overseas aid spent on (a) basic health care and (b) basic education; and if she will make a statement.

Clare Short: The OECD-DAC data are drawn directly from the figures which the UK reports to the organisation each year. They are compiled on the basis of the international definitions agreed by all donors. The figures are often used to compare donor performance, but can be misleading if used out of context. For our own use, DFID has developed a more sophisticated commitment and reporting system that is better able to reflect the full extent of our commitments.
	OECD figures classify all expenditure according only to the primary sector intervention targets. As we move towards greater emphasis on crosscutting and multi-purpose interventions, the figures will represent an increasingly partial picture. Specifically excluded from the UK figures are:
	elements of budget support that are targeting health or education;
	block funding to NGOs;
	emergency assistance; and
	basic education or basic health expenditure of any programme whose primary sector was not basic health or basic education.
	Education or health expenditure is often presented as a proportion of the total bilateral programme, but it would be more appropriate to present it as a proportion of the allocated bilateral aid.
	In common with other donors, the sector statistics exclude any resources given to multilateral agencies, which frequently target the basic health or education sectors. It is also important to note that DAC basic health sector definition excludes family planning.

Overseas Aid

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development pursuant to the answer of 15 July, Official Report, column 42W, on overseas aid, what plans she has to increase the percentage of UK bilateral assistance spent on low income countries.

Clare Short: As part of the 2002 Spending Review, my Department has set itself a Public Service Agreement target for increasing the proportion of DFID's bilateral programme going to low-income countries to 90 per cent. over the 2003–06 period.
	Full details of my Department's progress towards this target thus far can be found on DFID's website (www.dfid.gov.uk) or in the 2002 Departmental Report, a copy of which is available in the House of Commons Library.

Peru

Jim Dobbin: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what the amount is of the grant entitled XImproving the Health of the Poor: A Human Rights Focus", that her Department plans to make to Peru; if the grant will be used for the provision of population control and abortion; what her response is to the request from the Peruvian Health Minister that the grant should be made through the Peruvian Department of Health; and what account her Department takes of national legislation prohibiting abortion when making overseas aid grants.

Clare Short: The proposed health project in Peru XImproving the Health of the Poor: A Rights-Based Approach" is budgeted at #7.5 million, over five years. The project would support the work of the Ministry of Health, the Ombudsman's office and civil society and has a number of components, one of which relates to reproductive health.
	The reproductive health component would include support for poor people's rights to access family planning services, education and, if appropriate, post abortion care but not abortion.
	We have received no formal request that the entire grant be made through the Peruvian Ministry of Health.
	My Department only considers support for activities to improve the quality, safety and accessibility of abortion services where this is legal in the country concerned, and where it is available as a matter of uncoerced individual choice. In all situations, DFID will consider support for measures to improve access to effective and high quality post-abortion care to deal with the complication of spontaneous or induced abortion.
	I discussed the project with the President of Peru during his recent visit to London and he was strongly supportive.

Reproductive Health Services

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much she gave in each of the last five years to (a) Marie Stopes International, (b) International Planned Parenthood Federation, (c) British Pregnancy Advisory Service, (d) Pregnancy Advisory Service, (e) United Nations Population Fund and (f) Family Planning Association (UK) for the purposes of (i) abortion, (ii) family planning and (iii) other reproductive health services; and what the total grant was that she gave to each organisation in each of the last five years.

Clare Short: Data is not held centrally in the format requested and to collate it would incur disproportionate costs. However, my Department supports a number of international sexual and reproductive health organisations that share our aim of eliminating poverty, including United Nations agencies and non-governmental organisations (NGOs). All DFID funding in these areas is in support of the International Conference on Population and Development goal of universal access to reproductive health and is central to attainment of the millennium development goals (MDGs) specifically those related to maternal mortality, HIV/AIDS and child mortality. Without access to high quality reproductive health services and care, it is most unlikely that progress will be achieved in meeting the health MDGs. We will continue to support international organisations and NGOs which make an effective contribution to these goals, and of course the efforts of governments seeking to improve people's access to reproductive health services.
	DFID funding to the organisations referred to is as follows:
	
		#000 
		
			 Organisation 1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 
		
		
			 Marie Stopes International 3,103 4,235 4,945 5,132 2,554 
			 International Planned Parenthood Federation 5,850 5,500 5,500 5,500 4,500 
			 United Nations Population Fund 11,500 13,120 15,000 40,050 24,213 
		
	
	DFID has not provided financial support for British Pregnancy Advisory Service, Pregnancy Advisory Service or to Family Planning Association (UK).

Sanitation

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what additional work her Department has undertaken to improve sanitation in developing countries, subsequent to the new target agreed at the World Summit on Sustainable Development.

Clare Short: My Department promoted the target of reducing by half the proportion of people without access to hygienic sanitation facilities by 2015 in the run up to the Johannesburg Summit and adopted it in our Target Strategy Paper 'Addressing the Water Crisis', produced in March 2001. We worked hard to win international agreement to this target at the World Summit on Sustainable Development and will continue to emphasise sustainable and pro-poor sanitation and hygiene programmes.
	The challenge today is being able to build-upon models of best practice to expand sanitation coverage, access to clean water and hygiene education. DFID is advocating an integrated approach to sanitation, water supply, and hygiene to improve health and combat poverty.
	Through our commitment to multi-lateral initiatives and bi-lateral agreements weare prioritising support to national governments and civil society organisations toaccelerate work in sanitation and hygiene promotion in the countries of greatest need. In particular, we currently support several major multilateral initiatives including:
	The Water and Sanitation Program (WSP), a multi-donor programme administered by the World Bank. Its mission is to reduce poverty by helping the poor gain sustained access to improved water and sanitation services.
	The Water Supply and Sanitation Collaborative Council (WSSCC), a concerted multi-donor organisation designed to raise awareness and the political profile of sanitation, hygiene and safe water.
	The EU water initiative, which is aimed at creating strategic partnerships to achieve the world summit on sustainable development (WSSD) goals on clean water and sanitation. It will also improve the efficiency of existing financing mechanisms for water infrastructure through better donor coordination.
	In addition to multilateral co-operation, our commitment to achieve the 2005 water management and 2,015 water and sanitation targets includes bilateral programmes in many countries in the developing world including Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nepal, India, South Africa, Uganda, and Nigeria. My Department also funds Resource Centres dedicated to enhancing communication, knowledge transfer and co-operation between DFID, its partners and other organisations in the fields of environmental health, water supply and sanitation. We also continue to push for the inclusion of sanitation, water supply and hygiene into individual country poverty reduction strategies papers (PRSPs).

Southern Africa

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what volume of food was delivered (a) by her Department and (b) by the European Union, to Southern Africa in 2002; and what the total volume of food pledged (i) by her Department and (ii) by the European Union, to Southern Africa is for 2003.

Clare Short: My Department does not provide food aid directly, but funds the provision of food through operational partners such as the World Food Programme (WFP) and non-governmental organisations (NGOs). The WFP plans to deliver 993,000 tonnes of food during the period September 2002 to March 2003 for the humanitarian crisis in Southern Africa. The UK has so far provided WFP with funding for 65,231 tonnes (6.57 per cent. of the total confirmed contributions of 662,945 tonnes).
	The European Community (EC) has committed 272,000 tonnes of food (of which 153,000 tonnes was through the WFP) for this humanitarian crisis since the beginning of 2002. The UK provides approximately 19 per cent. of funding for EC operations.

Statutory Instruments

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, how many statutory instruments have been (a) introduced, (b) removed and (c) amended by her Department since 1 January; and what the (i) cost and (ii) saving has been in each case.

Clare Short: (a) Four statutory instruments have been introduced by my Department in 2002. They are the International Development Act 2002 (Commencement) Order 2002; the African Development Fund (Additional Subscriptions) Order 2002; the Caribbean Development Bank (Further Payments) Order 2002; and the International Development Association (Thirteenth Replenishment) Order 2002. No statutory instruments have been (b) removed or (c) amended. The combined cost of printing was less than #500. There were no savings.

Sudan (Education)

Parmjit Dhanda: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on the new opportunities created by her Department for the support of education work in Sudan.

Clare Short: My Department has continued to build on the relationships with key agencies working on education in Sudan, following a successful seminar in London in June. The support for the UNICEF education project in the Nuba Mountains is moving ahead well, some 600 schools will receive additional books and materials by February next year. As I explained in my answer to the hon. Member for Richmond Park (Dr. Tonge) on 25 November 2002, Official Report, column 32W, my Senior Education Adviser reviewed progress in the sector during a visit to Sudan in October. I hope to announce significant additional support for primary schools in the north and south in line with progress at the peace talks resuming early in the New Year.

Sustainable Development

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what has been done to integrate sustainable development into her Department's policies since the Earth Summit in Johannesburg; and how many country strategy papers her Department has revised to include a greater focus on sustainable development to take account of the conclusions of the Earth Summit.

Clare Short: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave her on 15 October 2002, Official Report, column 651W. My Department's overall goal is the elimination of poverty and the achievement of the 2015 Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

Sustainable Development

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what percentage of the staff of her Department are women; and what the percentage was in June 1997.

Clare Short: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him by the Minister of State, Cabinet Office on 5 July, Official Report, column 622W.

Sustainable Development

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what proportion of her Department's funds allocated to improving sexual and reproductive health in developing countries have been administered by NGOs in each of the last five years.

Clare Short: My Department funds many sexual and reproductive health NGOs. Information on this is not held centrally and to collate it would incur disproportionate costs. DFID expenditure through UK NGOs (including sexual and reproductive health NGOs is listed in Statistics on International Development (table 14). A copy is available in the Library of the House.

CDC Capital Partners

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will list CDC Capital Partners executives' proportional (a) salary and (b) remuneration increases since 1997.

Clare Short: Remuneration structures in CDC have been and continue to be revised in order to respond to the need for different skills and expertise, and to bring levels of pay and incentivisation more in line with the private sector:
	(a) Base salary increases as approved by the Board were as follows:
	
		
			  Approved percentage increase 
		
		
			 April 1997 3.0 
			 April 1998 4.0 
			 April 1999 4.0 
			 January 2000 3.6 
			 January 2001 3.5 
			 January 2002 3.4 
		
	
	Information on remuneration for CDC executives is available only at disproportionate cost. Details of remuneration for CDC Directors were published in annual reports for 1999, 2000 and 2001 copies of which were placed in the Library of the House.
	(b) Percentage increases (decreases) on actual total cash remunerations costs since 1997 are as follows.
	
		
			  Approved percentage increase (decrease) 
		
		
			 1997 — 
			 1998 20.3 
			 1999 10.98 
			 2000 3.78 
			 2001 (1.47) 
		
	
	The total cash remuneration of executives is principally made up of their salary, a short-term bonus programme introduced in 1999 and a long term incentive programme introduced in 2000.

Promotion of Good Governance

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent representations she has received regarding the promotion of democratic governance.

Clare Short: The promotion of good governance is intrinsic to DFID's work and is discussed regularly with our partners in developing countries and the wider international community.

SCOTLAND

Appointments

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland to which bodies her Department makes appointments; how many members there are (a) in total and (b) in each body; and how many of those appointed are (i) businessmen, (ii) businessmen in SMEs and (iii) businessmen in micro-businesses.

Helen Liddell: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given today by my hon. Friend the Minister of State, Cabinet Office (Mr. Alexander).

Ministerial Engagements

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many engagements were undertaken outside London (a) by her or her predecessor and (b) by ministers in her Department in January (i) 2000, (ii) 2001 and (iii) 2002.

Helen Liddell: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given today by my hon. Friend the Minister of State, Cabinet Office (Mr. Alexander).

EDUCATION AND SKILLS

A-level Texts

Oliver Letwin: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what guidance he has issued on the use of texts for A-level which contain explicit sexual language.

David Miliband: It is for the GCE awarding bodies, not the Government, to decide which texts are included in A Level specifications, and for individual schools to decide which specification they wish to follow.

Adult Learning

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what targets the Learning and Skills Councils have for (a) the 16 to 18 age group, (b) the post-19 age group and (c) lifelong learning.

Margaret Hodge: The Df ES has agreed a set of new Public Service Agreement (PSA) targets with the Treasury. The ones directly relevant to the Learning and Skills Council are:
	(a) By 2004, increase by 3 percentage points the number of 19-year-olds achieving a Level 2 qualification, compared with 2002; with a further increase of 3 percentage points by 2006;
	(b) By 2004, at least 28 per cent. of young people to start a Modern Apprenticeship by age 22. And by 2010 90 per cent. of young people by age 22 will have participated in a full-time programme fitting them for entry into higher education or skilled employment; and
	We would also expect the LSC to help support progress towards 50 per cent. of 18 to 30-year-olds entering higher education by 2010.
	(c) Improve the basic skill levels of 1.5 million adults and young people between the launch of Skills for Life 2001 and 2007, with a target of 750,000 by 2004;
	Reduce by at least 40 per cent. the number of adults who lack a Level 2 qualification by 2010. Working towards this, 1 million adults already in the workforce to achieve Level 2 between 2003 and 2006.
	We are committed to an investment and reform programme to raise standards, increase participation and improve outcomes for learners and employers. FE colleges and other providers will be set challenging targets for minimum performance and value for money.
	The LSC will be publishing a supplement to its Corporate Plan in 2003 that will reflect its contribution to the PSA targets.

Class Sizes

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what recent assessment he has made of the optimal (a) pupil to teacher ratio and (b) class sizes in primary schools.

David Miliband: holding answer 5 December 2002
	The Institute of Education in the University of London was commissioned by the Department to investigate the impact of class size and pupil-adult ratios on educational attainment at Key Stage 1. The findings showed that there was a significant effect of class size on children's educational progress in reception for both literacy and maths. However, there was no clear statistical evidence of an effect of class size on progress in literacy and maths in Year 1 or Year 2.
	The Department has now commissioned the Institute of Education to continue this research up to Key Stage 2. The findings of this project are expected in 2004.Office for Standards in Education (OFSTED) findings have also indicated that small class sizes are of benefit in the early years of primary education, when children are learning the basics.
	In September 2002 the number of five, six and seven year olds in infant classes of 31 or more stood at 10,600, in September 1998 the figure was 354,000. This means that under 1 per cent. of infants are in classes of over 30.

Degrees

George Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what definition of a degree he uses.

Margaret Hodge: A degree is defined in section 214 of the Education Reform Act as an award at Master, Bachelor or Doctorate level granted or to be granted by a university, college or other body which is authorised by Royal Charter or Act of Parliament to grant degrees. The qualifications framework issued by the Quality Assurance Agency indicates that the term 'degree' should only be used for qualifications which meet the expectations laid down in its qualification descriptors. If a private UK organisation without the necessary powers offers its own degrees, it would be in contravention of section 214 of the Education Reform Act 1988. Such organisations can be investigated and prosecuted by the local Trading Standards Department.

Employer Pensions Contributions

Adrian Flook: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills when formal notification will be given to local education authorities about the proposed increase in employer pensions contributions for teaching staff.

David Miliband: Authorities were informed on 10 December in a letter to all LEA Chief Education Officers that the teachers pension scheme employer contribution from 1 April 2003 would be 13.5 per cent.

Examination Performances

Graham Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if he will list the schools in the top tenth percentile by examination performance at (a) A-level, (b) GCSE and (c) SATs results, which have applied unsuccessfully for Beacon School status.

David Miliband: This information is not readily available. I will write to the hon. Member early in the New Year and place a copy of the reply in the Library of the House.

FE Staff

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what incentives there are to encourage more ethnic minority and other specialist training providers to enter further education as staff.

Margaret Hodge: We have introduced a range of initiatives to enable further education (FE) colleges to recruit and retain good staff. Eligible candidates can now benefit from golden hellos, the repayment of teachers' loans and training bursaries. FE colleges are now covered by the provisions of various equal opportunities related legislation, including the Race Relations Act. Their recruitment practices must meet legislative requirements and colleges should be working to ensure that their workforces are more representative of the communities they serve.
	We will be working with the Learning and Skills Council and key partners from the FE sector to ensure that the recommendations of a report published by the Commission for Black Staff in Further Education relating to the recruitment, selection, retention and progression of black staff are implemented and evaluated by 2004.

FE Staff

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what plans he has for assessments of further education best practice in teaching and training; and what the timescale is for these assessments.

Margaret Hodge: Our strategy for reforming further education and training 'Success for All,' published on 19 November 2002, sets out our plans for developing best practice in post-16 teaching, training and learning. We will make a substantial investment amounting to over #100 million by 2005–06. We will set up a new Standards Unit within DfES which will start work in January 2003. The unit will be responsible for identifying, developing and disseminating good practice. We envisage a gradual build-up, developing new approaches in up to four specified curriculum areas in 2003–04, with the help of expert practitioners.

GCSE Grades

Nick Gibb: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what proportion of state school pupils achieved at least GCSE grades A*-C in (a) maths, (b) science and (c) English in 2002.

David Miliband: Early statistics for England for 2002 show that the proportions of 15-year-old pupils in state schools achieving at least GCSE grade A*-C in (a) maths, (b) science and (c) English are 46.6 per cent. 45.4 per cent. and 53.1 per cent. respectively.

Higher Education

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what his estimate is of the cost of raising the proportion of 18 year olds admitted to higher education (a) from its 1997 level to its current level and (b) from its current level to 50 per cent.of 18 year olds.

Margaret Hodge: The target of 50 per cent. participation relates to people aged between 18 and 30, having the opportunity to benefit from higher education by the end of the decade. It does not mean that 50 per cent. of 18 year olds will enter higher education at that age.
	The cost of higher education per student varies according to the subject, type and length of their course. The overall costs of increasing student numbers will therefore depend on their pattern of study.

Higher Education, West Cumbria

Tony Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what work is being done to improve higher education provision in West Cumbria.

Margaret Hodge: The Higher Education Funding Council for England is currently reviewing higher education provision in Cumbria. 1,200 additional student places have already been funded by HEFCE since 1999 for local providers. The review will evaluate progress and project local demand and supply.

Learning and Skills Council

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what discussions his Department has had with the Learning and Skills Council to enable local councils to take advantage of full end-year flexibility in respect of the Local Initiative Fund and other programme budgets.

Margaret Hodge: The discussions that my Department has had with the LSC resulted in the grant letter to the LSC dated 5 December 2002, a copy of which has been placed in the House of Commons Library. The LSC will be able from 2003–04 to carry forward unspent funds on each of its budgets, except in exceptional and clearly defined circumstances. I expect that this flexibility will be passed on to local LSCs.
	There is no separate Local Initiative Fund (LIF) from 2003–04. Any activity previously funded by LIF will be covered by the new Local Investment and Development Fund. This provides the LSC with a powerful mechanism for raising quality and increasing the capacity and effectiveness of learning providers.

Local Government Settlement

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills pursuant to the statement by the Minister for Local Government and the Regions, 5 December 2002, Official Report, columns 1065–1084, what (a) the total spending on schools and (b) the total Government support for spending on schools is from all sources for the Isle of Wight Council in (i) 2001–02, (ii) 2003–03 and (iii) 2003–04.

David Miliband: holding answer 12 December 2002
	The information requested on school spending is not yet available as the Department is in the process of collecting the data for 2001–02. I will write to the hon. Member when the information becomes available. The Department is not due to collect data for 2002–03 until September 2003, and for 2003–04 in September 2004. The majority of government support for spending on schools takes the form of unhypothecated revenue support grant, so it is not possible to give totals for government support.

Maintenance Allowance Pilots

Graham Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what evaluation his Department has made of the education maintenance allowance pilots; and if he will publish the findings.

Margaret Hodge: We are now into the fourth year of operating the EMA pilot scheme. An independent evaluation of the EMA pilot commenced in September 1999 in 15 pilot areas and 11 control areas. This evaluation is being undertaken by a consortium of four organisations, headed up by the Centre for Research in Social Policy (CRSP) at Loughborough University.
	The findings so far are highly encouraging, indicating that EMA has had a positive effect on participation and retention among the target group, as well as on student behaviour. It is for this reason that we have announced that the scheme will be extended nationally from September 2004. The evaluation will help inform the development of the national scheme by offering evidence of different impacts from the different variants being tested in the pilot.
	Qualitative, quantitative and implementation findings from the first and second year of the evaluation have been published on the DfES website, including via the EMA website.

Pay Scales

Tony Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what plans he has to harmonise pay scales between teachers in schools and further education colleges.

David Miliband: Unlike schools, colleges in the further education (FE) sector are independent corporations with their own pay arrangements. Colleges agree annual pay rises and conditions of employment with their staff in the context of local priorities and the overall resources available to them. Pay arrangements in the sector are diverse, reflecting colleges' local flexibility. Government have no plans to change this arrangement.
	On 19 November the Secretary of State announced that the total funding for FE is set to rise by #1.2 billion between 2002–03 and 2005–06, a real terms increase of 19 per cent. From next year, colleges which have demonstrated their effectiveness will have three year funding deals allowing them to plan on a longer-term basis, with increases linked to performance. We will also consolidate the funds provided for the Teaching Pay Initiative into core funding. These measures should enable colleges to address structural pay issues and to use the additional resources to narrow substantially the pay gap with schools by 2005–06.

Post-Graduate Students (Non-EU Countries)

Andrew MacKinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many postgraduate students from non-EU countries were in the UK in each of the last 10 years.

Margaret Hodge: holding answer 9 December 2002
	The latest information is shown in the table.
	
		Postgraduate students(4) from non-EU countries studying in the UK
		
			 Academic year Numbers 
		
		
			 1991–92 29,800 
			 1992–93 33,500 
			 1993–94 36,900 
			 1994–95 42,300 
			 1995–96 47,000 
			 1996–97 46,600 
			 1997–98 45,700 
			 1998–99 47,200 
			 1999–2000 51,500 
			 2000–01 57,000 
			 2001–02 65,900 
		
	
	(4) Full-time and part-time students.

Private Finance Initiative

Phil Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many schools have been constructed since 1990 under PFI in each local education authority; and what the average length of time from tendering to handover of the finished education facility was.

David Miliband: There are now 49 project contracts signed since 1997, covering 558 schools that the Department has supported with PFI credits of approximately 1.3 billion. The private sector partners in more than 30 projects have begun to deliver high quality services to the schools covered by the contracts. This includes more than 30 brand new or replacement schools. Information is not held centrally on the time taken from the commencement of the tendering process to the handover of the facility to the Local Education Authority.

Russell Group Universities

Peter Pike: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what plans he has to encourage children from deprived areas to attend Russell Group universities; and if he will make a statement.

Margaret Hodge: We are committed to encouraging young people from deprived backgrounds to aim higher, including entry to our top universities where they demonstrate the ability and potential. We want universities to hunt out the brightest students and to seek better and fairer ways of identifying talent. We have committed over #190 million for three years to the Excellence Challenge programme, which will raise the aspirations and attainment of young people in some of the most deprived areas of the country. All universities, including those in the Russell Group, are engaged with this programme and local excellence challenge partnerships all have links with at least one institution with demanding entry requirements. Through the Excellence Challenge, we have provided additional funding to universities who recruit fewer than 80 per cent. from the state sector, so that they reach out to more young people from deprived backgrounds. We will be publishing our 10-year vision for higher education in January. This will reflect our continued commitment to widening participation and excellence.

School Budgets

David Curry: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the total amount of balances held by schools was in each local authority in England in the latest year for which figures are available, expressed as (a) an aggregate sum and (b) a proportion of aggregate school budgets.

David Miliband: The table, which contains provisional figures derived from Table 2 of the outturn statements provided by local education authorities under section 52 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998, sets out the aggregate balances held by each local education authority's schools at the end of the financial year 2000–01, and expresses these as a percentage of the schools' planned budget shares for the year. Comprehensive figures for 2001–02 are not yet available.
	
		
			 Local education authority Balances carried forward Balances as percentage of planned budget shares 
		
		
			 Barking and Dagenham 3,436,380 5 
			 Barnet 6,444,351 5 
			 Barnsley 5,019,782 7 
			 Bath and North East Somerset 3,362,999 6 
			 Bedfordshire 7,590,476 6 
			 Bexley 3,742,329 4 
			 Birmingham 29,094,966 7 
			 Blackburn with Darwen 5,174,240 9 
			 Blackpool 3,699,156 9 
			 Bolton 5,043,511 5 
			 Bournemouth 4,248,403 9 
			 Bracknell Forest 1,342,137 4 
			 Bradford 10,141,662 6 
			 Brent 4,777,187 5 
			 Brighton and Hove 3,140,236 5 
			 Bromley 5,678,998 6 
			 Buckinghamshire 5,003,369 3 
			 Bury 1,688,683 3 
			 Calderdale 4,534,942 6 
			 Cambridgeshire 10,407,613 7 
			 Camden 5,483,105 8 
			 Cheshire 14,286,508 6 
			 City of Bristol 5,470,381 5 
			 City of Kingston-upon-Hull 5,566,582 6 
			 City of London 6,876 1 
			 Cornwall 14,288,728 10 
			 Coventry 8,870,777 8 
			 Croydon 10,265,469 9 
			 Cumbria 9,618,848 6 
			 Darlington 1,592,555 5 
			 Derby 3,762,223 5 
			 Derbyshire 11,273,384 5 
			 Devon 6,946,710 4 
			 Doncaster 9,380,934 8 
			 Dorset 4,378,124 4 
			 Dudley 8,303,924 8 
			 Durham 12,689,818 8 
			 Ealing 3,688,149 4 
			 East Riding of Yorkshire 7,308,958 7 
			 East Sussex 5,769,985 4 
			 Enfield 8,259,404 7 
			 Essex 37,102,051 8 
			 Gateshead 3,970,670 6 
			 Gloucestershire 12,233,546 7 
			 Greenwich 5,704,633 6 
			 Hackney 3,582,023 5 
			 Halton 4,178,939 8 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 3,931,932 8 
			 Hampshire 24,803,112 7 
			 Haringey 1,861,114 2 
			 Harrow 4,211,335 6 
			 Hartlepool 2,569,873 7 
			 Havering 4,826,923 6 
			 Herefordshire 3,851,611 8 
			 Hertfordshire 30,315,945 8 
			 Hillingdon 4,586,135 5 
			 Hounslow 4,820,783 5 
			 Isle of Wight 2,027,599 5 
			 Isles of Scilly 187,015 20 
			 Islington 4,496,175 7 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 1,897,247 5 
			 Kent 28,004,265 6 
			 Kingston upon Thames 2,882,024 6 
			 Kirklees 5,496,015 4 
			 Knowsley 2,731,541 4 
			 Lambeth 5,713,734 7 
			 Lancashire 33,663,492 9 
			 Leeds 9,595,270 4 
			 Leicester 6,312,408 6 
			 Leicestershire 6,008,241 3 
			 Lewisham 4,502,863 5 
			 Lincolnshire 10,142,725 5 
			 Liverpool 15,682,928 8 
			 Luton 5,475,535 8 
			 Manchester 13,863,255 9 
			 Medway 7,875,247 8 
			 Merton 4,626,303 9 
			 Middlesbrough 2,908,501 5 
			 Milton Keynes 4,808,743 7 
			 Newcastle upon Tyne 6,423,775 7 
			 Newham 4,060,654 4 
			 Norfolk 11,939,052 5 
			 North East Lincolnshire 3,921,671 7 
			 North Lincolnshire 3,032,590 6 
			 North Somerset 2,992,817 5 
			 North Tyneside 283,683 0 
			 North Yorkshire 15,983,754 8 
			 Northamptonshire 17,727,886 8 
			 Northumberland 3,065,654 3 
			 Nottingham City 7,037,076 8 
			 Nottinghamshire 13,456,266 5 
			 Oldham 6,371,753 7 
			 Oxfordshire 11,956,922 7 
			 Peterborough 5,234,178 8 
			 Plymouth 5,323,500 6 
			 Poole 4,076,005 9 
			 Portsmouth 3,848,555 6 
			 Reading 2,110,644 6 
			 Redbridge 6,091,934 6 
			 Redcar and Cleveland 3,699,118 7 
			 Richmond upon Thames 2,402,104 5 
			 Rochdale 1,942,990 3 
			 Rotherham 2,768,439 3 
			 Rutland 325,195 3 
			 Salford 2,212,989 3 
			 Sandwell 3,786,462 3 
			 Sefton 9,120,868 8 
			 Sheffield 6,961,264 5 
			 Shropshire 3,170,796 4 
			 Slough 3,493,501 8 
			 Solihull 3,724,726 5 
			 Somerset 10,089,247 7 
			 South Gloucestershire 5,111,360 6 
			 South Tyneside 2,880,605 5 
			 Southampton 2,872,067 4 
			 Southend 7,104,028 11 
			 Southwark 7,478,215 8 
			 St. Helens 4,903,904 8 
			 Staffordshire 15,942,730 6 
			 Stockport 3,313,994 4 
			 Stockton-on-Tees 4,326,662 6 
			 Stoke on Trent 5,279,274 7 
			 Suffolk 15,533,102 7 
			 Sunderland 4,914,434 5 
			 Surrey 20,746,439 7 
			 Sutton 2,999,959 4 
			 Swindon 10,831,810 18 
			 Tameside 4,977,506 6 
			 Telford and Wrekin 2,681,119 5 
			 Thurrock 5,791,773 12 
			 Torbay 2,187,521 5 
			 Tower Hamlets 8,074,064 7 
			 Trafford 5,942,165 8 
			 Wakefield 2,249,644 2 
			 Walsall 7,998,314 8 
			 Waltham Forest 5,464,149 6 
			 Wandsworth 5,428,156 7 
			 Warrington 4,461,936 7 
			 Warwickshire 9,806,597 6 
			 West Berkshire 3,911,164 7 
			 West Sussex 7,068,871 3 
			 Westminster 2,301,967 4 
			 Wigan 6,068,858 5 
			 Wiltshire 8,283,674 6 
			 Windsor and Maidenhead 2,300,152 5 
			 Wirral 6,038,200 5 
			 Wokingham 2,342,292 5 
			 Wolverhampton 5,802,012 6 
			 Worcestershire 11,621,346 7 
			 York 4,416,065 9

School Buildings

Phil Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many and what percentage of schools in England and Wales were built during the 1960s and 1970s, broken down by (a) local education authority, (b) the total amount of outstanding maintenance for each school and (c) the perceived lifetime of each of these schools at the time of construction.

David Miliband: The data that have been collected from authorities in connection with asset management plan appraisal do not show these age bands. Many schools have estates comprising numbers of blocks of different ages. Maintenance costs in the data cover both the backlog and requirements over a five year period from the date of assessment. Most of these maintenance assessments were carried out two to three years ago and do not reflect the effect of subsequent revenue and capital spending in reducing maintenance requirements. The DfES does not hold information on the perceived lifetime of each of the schools at the time of construction.

School Funding

Graham Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, pursuant to his oral answer to the hon. Member for Ashford on 9 December 2002, Official Report, column 28, whether all schools will be fully funded in respect of the cost of payments to teachers on the upper spine of performance related pay.

David Miliband: Threshold payments constitute point 1 of the upper pay scale and the threshold is fully funded. #90 million has been ring-fenced this year for performance pay, including the progression from upper pay scale 1 to upper pay scale 2. Sixty per cent. of the cost of a performance point grant for heads, deputies and assistant heads will be funded through a dedicated performance pay grant. Next year, at least #150 million will be ring-fenced for performance pay. Schools can also use their general budgets to award performance pay if they wish to. Education standard spending has increased by #1.3 billion this year, and is continuing to increase over the next three years.

School Laboratories

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what programmes are in place between school science and design technology departments and local industry to obtain hardware for school laboratories and workshops.

Margaret Hodge: Nationally, through Science Year, we have secured over #4 million worth of science equipment and resources for schools from partners such as Intel, Pfizer, the Gatsby Charitable Foundation and the Association for Science Education. Highlights include an Intel Digital Microscope for every maintained primary and secondary school and an electronic whiteboard to every school with a science advanced skills teacher.
	At local level, through education and business partnerships, we encourage schools and firms to work together in ways which best meet their joint needs. This can range from scientists and engineers helping with out of school clubs, to providing other resources, including hardware, where local manufacturers of the specialist equipment needed for science and design and technology are able and willing to do so.
	From April 2001, the LSC assumed responsibility, for ensuring the provision of education/business link activity, including KS4 work experience and professional development placements (formerly teacher placements), in each of the 47 LSC areas.

School Laboratories

Brian Iddon: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what action he has taken to monitor the effectiveness of the School Laboratories for the 21st Century scheme.

Margaret Hodge: The #60 million capital funding for the School Laboratories for the 21st Century scheme was spread over two years, with construction works needing to be completed by 31 August 2002. Over the next 12 months an evaluation report will be prepared covering a sample of the 149 participating local education authorities. This will provide details of how the funding has been invested, including what the balance is between newly constructed and refurbished laboratories, and an early indication of what impact this has had on educational standards.

School Transport

Graham Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what percentage of school budgets was spent on school transport in each local education authority area in the last 12 months.

David Miliband: The following table provides the latest available information. It shows expenditure on school transport as a percentage of the local education authority's gross expenditure.
	
		LEA Section 52 Outturn Statement 2000–01—home to school/college transport as a percentage of gross expenditure before recharges—as reported by LEAs
		
			 LEA name Pre-primary Primary Secondary Special All schools 
		
		
			 Barking and Dagenham 0.0 1.3 0.8 19.0 2.4 
			 Barnet 0.0 0.3 0.6 16.6 1.7 
			 Barnsley 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 Bath and North East Somerset 0.0 1.2 2.6 14.5 2.8 
			 Bedfordshire 0.0 1.0 3.4 17.2 3.8 
			 Bexley 0.0 0.7 0.2 18.3 1.9 
			 Birmingham 0.0 0.5 0.4 16.5 1.9 
			 Blackburn 0.0 0.4 1.5 10.8 1.8 
			 Blackpool 0.0 0.1 0.1 9.1 1.0 
			 Bolton 0.0 0.2 0.3 7.4 0.6 
			 Bournemouth 0.0 0.3 0.2 13.3 1.4 
			 Bracknell Forest 0.0 0.2 2.6 21.4 3.4 
			 Bradford 0.0 1.1 1.6 14.3 1.9 
			 Brent 0.0 0.7 0.9 15.6 2.1 
			 Brighton and Hove 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 Bromley 0.7 0.9 0.5 14.6 1.9 
			 Buckinghamshire 0.7 2.2 6.5 13.0 5.3 
			 Bury 0.0 0.6 0.7 13.8 1.8 
			 Calderdale 0.0 0.4 1.5 20.4 1.9 
			 Cambridgeshire 2.0 1.8 4.5 16.9 4.2 
			 Camden 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 Cheshire 0.0 1.4 3.6 18.6 3.5 
			 City of Bristol 0.5 0.1 0.6 4.9 0.8 
			 City of Kingston-upon-Hull 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 City of London 26.6 0.0 20.3 21.0 4.1 
			 Cornwall 1.5 1.3 3.9 23.1 3.2 
			 Coventry 1.5 0.2 0.5 7.3 1.0 
			 Croydon 0.0 0.0 0.0 12.3 1.7 
			 Cumbria 0.5 2.2 4.0 21.5 3.6 
			 Darlington 0.1 0.4 2.4 12.3 2.2 
			 Derby 0.0 0.9 0.4 17.9 1.8 
			 Derbyshire 0.0 0.7 2.6 15.4 2.3 
			 Devon 0.0 2.5 6.2 14.2 4.9 
			 Doncaster 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 Dorset 0.2 2.4 4.4 16.3 4.7 
			 Dudley 0.0 0.3 0.2 14.7 1.3 
			 Durham 0.8 0.9 4.6 13.6 3.5 
			 Ealing 0.0 0.6 0.5 19.2 2.6 
			 East Riding of Yorkshire 0.0 1.7 4.3 17.5 4.1 
			 East Sussex 0.0 0.4 2.5 12.8 2.6 
			 Enfield 0.0 0.6 0.8 19.1 2.2 
			 Essex 0.0 1.9 2.9 20.2 3.5 
			 Gateshead 0.0 0.2 0.2 11.6 1.2 
			 Gloucestershire 1.2 1.2 2.8 13.7 2.8 
			 Greenwich 0.0 0.0 0.0 15.4 1.7 
			 Hackney 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 Halton 0.0 0.0 0.7 20.8 2.2 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 0.0 0.1 0.6 16.8 2.4 
			 Hampshire 0.0 1.0 2.1 14.7 2.5 
			 Haringey 0.0 0.5 0.6 12.0 1.7 
			 Harrow 0.0 0.1 0.1 0.0 0.1 
			 Hartlepool 0.0 0.1 0.9 10.9 1.4 
			 Havering 0.0 0.1 0.5 16.4 0.9 
			 Herefordshire 0.0 4.2 6.7 28.7 6.6 
			 Hertfordshire 0.0 1.0 2.0 15.6 2.6 
			 Hillingdon 0.1 0.7 0.5 16.4 2.2 
			 Hounslow 0.0 0.7 0.2 15.9 1.7 
			 Isle of Wight Council 0.0 0.4 2.8 4.8 2.1 
			 Isles of Scilly 0.0 2.1 1.3 0.0 1.6 
			 Islington 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.3 0.0 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 0.2 0.2 0.3 0.3 0.3 
			 Kent 0.0 1.4 4.1 10.9 3.4 
			 Kingston upon Thames 0.0 0.2 0.3 19.8 2.2 
			 Kirklees 0.0 0.6 0.4 16.7 1.5 
			 Knowsley 0.0 0.0 0.6 11.2 1.7 
			 Lambeth 0.0 0.4 0.7 15.7 2.2 
			 Lancashire 0.0 0.5 2.9 17.0 3.0 
			 Leeds 0.0 0.1 0.0 26.8 1.4 
			 Leicester 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 Leicestershire 0.0 0.7 3.1 26.7 3.4 
			 Lewisham 0.6 0.1 0.1 15.2 1.8 
			 Lincolnshire 0.0 2.0 4.3 18.9 4.5 
			 Liverpool 0.0 0.0 0.5 15.0 1.5 
			 Luton 2.9 0.2 0.1 15.1 1.3 
			 Manchester 0.0 0.0 0.2 19.5 2.7 
			 Merton 0.0 0.0 0.0 10.4 1.5 
			 Middlesbrough 10.4 0.5 0.6 6.8 1.2 
			 Milton Keynes 1.2 0.9 1.6 10.8 2.0 
			 Newcastle upon Tyne 0.0 0.0 0.0 9.2 0.7 
			 Newham 0.0 1.1 0.7 13.3 1.3 
			 Norfolk 0.0 1.8 5.7 19.3 4.6 
			 North East Lincolnshire 0.0 0.4 0.8 20.6 1.5 
			 North Lincolnshire 0.0 1.5 3.3 28.0 3.4 
			 North Somerset 0.0 1.8 2.9 12.3 3.0 
			 North Tyneside 0.0 0.2 0.1 13.4 1.3 
			 North Yorkshire 8.1 2.9 4.3 13.5 4.4 
			 Northamptonshire 0.0 1.8 1.4 17.6 2.5 
			 Northumberland 0.0 3.9 1.1 30.8 4.7 
			 Nottingham City 0.0 0.2 0.6 18.3 1.5 
			 Nottinghamshire 0.5 1.3 1.9 15.2 2.2 
			 Oldham 0.7 0.2 0.2 13.8 1.3 
			 Oxfordshire 0.0 3.1 2.6 22.7 4.1 
			 Peterborough 0.0 0.9 1.0 18.9 2.2 
			 Plymouth 0.0 0.6 1.5 11.9 1.9 
			 Poole 0.0 0.5 1.9 13.1 2.3 
			 Portsmouth 0.0 0.4 1.3 7.0 1.3 
			 Reading 0.0 0.0 0.0 1.5 0.1 
			 Redbridge 0.0 0.5 1.0 14.6 2.0 
			 Redcar and Cleveland 1.4 0.2 0.3 0.1 0.2 
			 Richmond upon Thames 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 Rochdale 2.0 0.0 0.5 14.8 1.5 
			 Rochester and Gillingham 0.0 2.1 1.6 14.4 2.3 
			 Rotherham 4.7 0.2 0.4 11.8 1.2 
			 Rutland 0.0 2.8 6.4 17.6 5.5 
			 Salford 0.0 0.2 0.2 10.3 1.2 
			 Sandwell 0.0 0.4 0.7 11.5 1.4 
			 Sefton 0.0 0.2 0.4 15.9 1.6 
			 Sheffield 0.0 0.0 0.0 16.3 1.2 
			 Shropshire 0.0 3.7 3.9 22.9 5.0 
			 Slough 0.0 0.9 0.7 15.2 2.1 
			 Solihull 0.0 1.1 1.3 10.0 1.7 
			 Somerset 0.0 3.4 3.5 2.5 3.3 
			 South Gloucestershire 0.0 2.4 1.1 7.3 2.1 
			 South Tyneside 0.0 0.6 0.4 8.3 1.0 
			 Southampton 1.9 0.1 0.2 9.6 1.0 
			 Southend 0.0 0.1 0.4 16.1 1.5 
			 Southwark 3.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.1 
			 St. Helens 1.7 0.0 1.1 16.6 1.9 
			 Staffordshire 0.0 0.4 2.8 14.3 2.6 
			 Stockport 0.0 0.0 0.2 22.0 1.6 
			 Stockton-on-Tees 0.1 0.9 1.0 8.8 1.6 
			 Stoke on Trent 0.0 0.8 0.6 10.1 1.5 
			 Stockport 0.0 0.0 0.2 22.0 1.6 
			 Suffolk 0.0 4.9 2.2 2.1 3.2 
			 Sunderland 0.0 0.0 0.1 15.2 1.2 
			 Surrey 1.4 1.5 3.4 17.7 3.8 
			 Sutton 0.0 0.6 0.3 14.0 1.5 
			 Swindon 0.0 1.0 1.2 14.7 2.5 
			 Tameside 0.0 0.2 0.5 9.0 1.2 
			 The Wrekin 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 
			 Thurrock 0.0 0.5 1.9 13.9 1.7 
			 Torbay 0.0 0.6 2.0 12.0 2.2 
			 Tower Hamlets 0.0 0.0 0.2 17.4 1.6 
			 Trafford 0.0 0.5 0.7 13.9 1.9 
			 Wakefield 0.0 0.3 0.6 8.2 1.0 
			 Walsall 0.0 0.2 0.3 9.6 1.0 
			 Waltham Forest 0.0 2.7 1.0 0.8 1.7 
			 Wandsworth 0.0 0.1 0.6 11.3 1.9 
			 Warrington 0.0 0.5 1.6 14.3 1.9 
			 Warwickshire 0.1 3.0 4.3 15.9 4.5 
			 West Berkshire 0.0 1.1 2.3 24.1 3.6 
			 West Sussex 0.0 0.3 2.2 15.8 2.5 
			 Westminster 0.0 0.1 0.0 28.5 2.9 
			 Wigan 0.0 0.0 0.5 15.9 1.3 
			 Wiltshire 0.0 1.3 4.0 0.0 2.4 
			 Windsor and Maidenhead 0.0 0.5 1.5 25.6 3.1 
			 Wirral 0.0 0.5 0.9 9.2 1.5 
			 Wokingham 0.0 0.2 2.2 14.9 2.7 
			 Wolverhampton 0.0 0.5 0.5 15.8 1.6 
			 Worcestershire 0.0 1.4 3.3 20.2 3.8 
			 York 0.0 0.3 2.3 14.1 2.4 
		
	
	Source:
	LEA Section 52 (Outturn) Statement 2000–01 and is expressed in percentage terms of the total LEA (gross) expenditure.

Sickness Absence

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  how many days (a) primary school teachers and (b) secondary school teachers took as sickness absence in 2002 in (i) the Portsmouth South constituency and (ii) the United Kingdom, broken down by (A) full-time and (B) part-time teachers; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  how many (a) primary school teachers and (b) secondary school teachers took sickness absence in 2002 in (i) the Portsmouth South constituency and (ii) the United Kingdom, broken down by (A) full-time and (B) part-time teachers; and if he will make a statement.

David Miliband: The information is not available in the form requested. The table shows data on sickness absence 1 taken by full-time and part-time teachers in Portsmouth Local Education Authority and in the English maintained schools sector. The data cannot be broken down by phase or Parliamentary constituency and are provisional.
	
		
			  Full time Part time  
			  Teachers Days absence Teachers Days absence 
		
		
			 Portsmouth LEA 780 8,220 130 1,040 
			 England 246,300 2,461,000 37,300 338,900 
		
	
	(5) Sickness absence on working days, whether paid absence or not, of teachers with permanent contracts or contracts of over one month, including teachers without QTS. The numbers of teachers taking sick leave includes an individual teacher only once however many periods of sickness absence they have had.
	Source:
	2001 data were taken from the Sickness Absence Statistical First Release. Final 2001 data will be published in the teachers statistical volume in January 2003.

Star Ratings

David Chaytor: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many local authorities' provisional star ratings in the education comprehensive performance assessment have been adjusted after the Audit Commission had signed off the data on performance indicators this year; and which of these authorities' ratings were adjusted (a) upwards and (b) downwards.

David Miliband: holding answer 12 December 2002
	The Audit Commission signed off the data related to comprehensive performance assessment on 9 December 2002, and there have been no further changes to local authorities' star ratings after that time.

Student Funding

David Rendel: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills pursuant to his Answer of 2 December, ref 83011, if he will estimate the level of funding required if student maintenance grants had been maintained at their final level in (a) real terms 1995–96 prices and (b) actual terms in (i) 1998–99, (ii) 1999–2000, (iii) 2000–01, (iv) 2001–02 and (v) 2002–03, in (A) England and (B) Wales.

Margaret Hodge: holding answer 9 December 2002
	Under the XMandatory Awards" scheme in operation up to academic year 1997–98 eligible students received a grant from LEAs towards their living costs. In 1997–98 this comprised a means tested basic grant of up to #1,755 (other than in London) plus extra allowances the student could claim depending on his/her circumstances, for example for those with disabilities or dependants. The grant was means tested against the student's own income and that of their parents (if the student was under 25 or not otherwise regarded as independent) or their spouse.
	Tables 1 and 2 show the estimated funding required for LEA expenditure on maintenance grants (i.e. the basic grant excluding allowances) in real and cash terms for each of the financial years 1998–99 to 2002–03, assuming that the grants available in 1997–98 had continued thereafter.
	
		Table 1: Estimated maintenance grant funding in real(6) terms -- # million
		
			  1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 
		
		
			 England 663 670 670 684 696 
			 Wales 41 41 42 43 44 
			 England and Wales 704 711 713 728 740 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Figures have been converted to 1995–96 price levels using the November 2002 GDP deflators.
	2. Figures may not sum due to rounding.
	3. Includes medical and dental students and allied professionals, grant funding for whom under the new student arrangements, has been transferred to the Department of Health.
	
		Table 2: Estimated grant funding in cash terms -- # million
		
			  1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 
		
		
			 England 725 750 767 800 834 
			 Wales 44 46 48 51 53 
			 England and Wales 769 795 815 850 887 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Figures may not sum due to rounding.
	2. Includes medical and dental students and allied health professionals, grant funding for whom under the new student support arrangements, has been transferred to the Department of Health.
	These are approximate estimates derived by applying the grant arrangements in 1997–98 to numbers of English and Welsh students for the academic years 1998–99 to 2002–03. Costs for English and Welsh students have been pro-rated on the basis of numbers of students from each country.
	In addition, students also received a subsidised loan towards living costs. The maintenance grant comprised approximately 50 per cent. of the total package available to students for their living costs.
	Tables 3 and 4 show actual payments for maintenance grants (excluding allowances) made by LEAs in real and cash terms under the XMandatory Awards" scheme for each of the financial years 1998–99 to 2002–03.
	
		Table 3: Outturn maintenance grant pavements in real(6) terms -- # million
		
			  1998–99 outturn 1999–2000 outturn 2000–01 outturn 2001–02 projected outturn 2002–03 projected outturn 
		
		
			 England 508 300 129 37 6 
			 Wales (10) 31 18 8 2 * 
			 England and Wales 539 319 137 39 6 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Figures have been converted to 1995–96 price levels using the November 2002 GDP deflators
	2. Figures may not sum due to rounding
	3. Figures for England and Wales have been estimated
	4. 2000–01 outturn is provisional
	5. Projected outturn less than #0.5 million in 2002–03
	6. Includes the Department's funding for dental and medical students and allied health professionals
	
		Table 4: Outturn maintenance grant payments (cash terms) -- # million
		
			  1998–99 outturn 1999–2000 outturn 2000–01 outturn 2001–02 projected outturn 2002–03 projected outturn 
		
		
			 England 556 336 148 43 7 
			 Wales 34 21 9 3 (9) 
			 England and Wales 590 357 157 45 7 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Figures may not sum due to rounding
	2. Figures for England and Wales have been estimated
	3. 2000–01 outturn is provisional
	4. Projected outturn less than #0.5 million in 2002–03
	5. Includes the Department's funding for dental and medical students and allied health professionals
	Cost for English and Welsh students have been pro-rated on the basis of numbers of students from each country.
	Notes:
	1. Costs have been estimated by academic year and then converted to a financial year basis. Financial year costs have been estimated on the assumption that 2/3 of the cost will arise from the current Academic Year and 1/3 from the previous Academic Year.
	2. Maintenance grant costs for tables 1 and 2 have been estimated for 1998–99 to 2002–03 by multiplying the number of students by the estimated average maintenance award.
	3. Average maintenance award per student has been estimated for 1998–99 to 2002–03 by uprating the average assessed maintenance award in 1997–98 by increase in grant rates for each year 1998–99 to 2002–03. The estimates also allow for changes in the proportions of students entitled to the Home, London and elsewhere rates of grant.
	4. Outturn data used in tables 3 and 4 has been derived from LEA returns for 1998–99 to 2000–01.
	5. The estimates are based on actual student numbers for 1998–99 to 1999–2000 and projected student numbers for 2000–01 to 2002–03.
	6. Costs by country of domicile have been estimated using proportions of students in England and Wales from:
	(a) 1998–99 LEA assessment data for 1998–99 and 1999–2000, and
	(b) 2000–01 SLC data for 2000–01 to 2002–03.

Supply Teachers

Colin Pickthall: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills whether he plans to amend the conditions of service of supply teachers.

David Miliband: holding answer 12 December 2002
	My right hon. Friend has no current plans to re-examine supply teachers' conditions of service. Local education authorities pay supply teachers in accordance with the statutory arrangements for teachers, laid down in the School Teachers' Pay and Conditions Document. Private supply teacher agencies agree pay rates and terms of service with the teachers they supply. However, we have introduced a range of measures designed to lever up standards of supply teaching and the recruitment and management practices of agencies.

Support Grants

Karen Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much was granted from each source of support within his Department to (a) Westminster city council and (b) the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, outside revenue support grant settlements in each year since 1997.

David Miliband: The following tables show the Department's allocated grants to Westminster and Kensington and Chelsea local education authorities for the financial years 1997–98 to 2002–03. 2002–03 figures are to date and provisional.
	
		Westminster local education authority -- #
		
			  1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 
		
		
			 Standards Fund (departmental contribution) 522,203 844,387 3,656,354 5,363,083 7,036,287 8,800,474 
			 School Standards Grant 0 0 0 687,000 1,468,500 1,539,800 
			 School Budget Support Grant 0 0 0 127,900 0 0 
			 Nursery Education Grant(6) 1,208,802 506,879 739,880 1,358,423 2,050,488 1,171,716 
			 Childcare Grant(7) 0 55,000 172,000 240,880 595,249 557,597 
			 Teachers Pay Reform Grant 0 0 0 532,338 874,748 566,437 
			 Education Action Zone (Departmental Core Grant)(8) 0 0 0 493,000 589,000 432,000 
			 Capital(9) 1,741,000 2,161,000 1,627,000 4,454,000 4,104,000 6,108,433 
		
	
	(6) Reductions in 1998–99 and 1999–2000 are due to the transfer of nursery education grant for four year olds to education standard spending.
	(7) Westminster Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership (EYDCP) has been additionally allocated #1,055,181 funding in 2001–04 for the neighbourhood nurseries initiative for Westminster. It will be up to the EYDCP to decide the breakdown between years.
	(8) Funding made directly to the Education Action Zone in Westminster.
	(9) Funding includes Basic Need (ACG), Standards Fund Grant (departmental contribution), Voluntary Aided School Grant, Schools Access Initiative, Supplementary Credit Approvals, New Deal for Schools, Nursery Education Grant and Childcare Grant.
	
		Kensington and Chelsea local education authority -- #
		
			  1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 
		
		
			 Standards Fund (departmental contribution) 364,865 330,902 2,112,362 2,975,947 4,378,402 6,767,151 
			 School Standards Grant 0 0 0 430,000 944,500 976,500 
			 School Budget Support Grant 0 0 0 69,800 0 0 
			 Post 16 Budget Support Grant 0 0 0 0 0 75,000 
			 Nursery Education Grant(10) 805,775 251,970 208,222 603,585 825,660 891,576 
			 Childcare Grant(11) 0 51,000 144,500 209,090 514,669 428,981 
			 Teachers Pay Reform Grant 0 0 0 60,132 841,059 346,851 
			 Transitional Funding/Transitional Grant Insurance 0 0 8,633 105,755 123,581 0 
			 Capital(12) 470,000 1,277,000 1,021,000 2,695,000 3,308,000 2,646,558 
		
	
	(10) Reductions in 1998–99, 1999–2000 and 2000–01 are due to the transfer of Nursery Education Grant for four year olds to Education Standard Spending.
	(11) Kensington and Chelsea Early Years Development and Childcare Partnership (EYDCP) has been additionally allocated #936,490 funding in 2001–04 for the Neighbourhood Nurseries Initiative for Kensington and Chelsea. It will be up to the EYDCP to decide the breakdown between years.
	(12) Funding includes Basic Need (ACG), Standards Fund Grant (departmental contribution), Voluntary Aided School Grant, Schools Access Initiative, Supplementary Credit Approvals, New Deal for Schools ,Nursery Education Grant and Childcare Grant.

Teacher Pay

Kevin McNamara: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills whether further education lecturers on Silver Book contracts are entitled to receive money from the Teacher Pay Initiative.

Margaret Hodge: holding answer 12 December 2002
	Further Education (FE) lecturers on Silver Book contracts are eligible to receive payments from the Teaching Pay Initiative (TPI).
	General FE colleges implementing TPI have the flexibility to use their funding allocation to meet local priorities and needs, within the context of the national TPI framework and current employment legislation.

Teacher Recruitment

Graham Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how much was spent on the Fast Track scheme for teacher recruitment and how many teachers were recruited into Fast Track in the last 12 months for which figures are available.

David Miliband: The Fast Track teaching programme is an accelerated development programme for teachers, designed to recruit, retain and rapidly develop transformational school leaders of the future. In 2001–02 the Department invested #8,265,344 in developing and implementing the Fast Track programme. This included the cost of recruiting 161 highly qualified and talented individuals. As numbers on the programme grow over time the unit cost will reduce, as there are fixed costs associated with establishing the infrastructure for this new nationwide programme.
	The numbers on the Fast Track teaching programme are as follows:
	
		
			 Fast Track teaching programme Number 
		
		
			 In teaching posts in 102 schools 110 
			 of whom, NQTs 88 
			 In initial Teacher Training in nine providers 117 
			 Currently deferred for one year 22 
			 Total on Fast Track 249

Training

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what priority learning and skills councils will place upon training aimed at adults over 19-years-old.

Margaret Hodge: The training for adults over 19 is vital to both increased productivity and improved social inclusion. The priorities for the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) were announced in the Grant Letter for 2003–04, released last Thursday 5 December. One of the four high level priorities (unchanged since the first remit letter in 2000) is Xincreasing demand for learning, and achievement of skills and qualifications by adults". The LSC will be assisted in meeting this priority by the generous budget increase that is included in this Grant Letter: resources will increase from #7.5 billion in 2002–03 to #8 billion in 2003–04, and rising again to #9.2 billion in 2005–06. This record level of investment will give the LSC the resources it needs to bring about radical and sustained improvements in adult skill levels.
	The Grant Letter provides more detail on the priorities for adult learning, including a challenging new target of reducing by at least 40 per cent. the number of adults without a level 2 qualification by 2010, and participation by the LSC in pooled budget pilots with Regional Development Agencies. We are working closely with the LSC on the Review of Funding of Adult Learning which will set out in more detail how to meet the adult skill needs. The outcome of the Review will form part of the Skills Strategy which will be published by my Department in June.
	Furthermore, the LSC's approach to adult training is set out in detail in its Workforce Development Strategy, released in November 2002. The development of the LSC strategy was co-ordinated with the Cabinet Office Strategy Unit report XIn Demand (2): An Action Plan for Adult Skills in the 21st Century", and thus links into the wider Government strategy for adult skills.

University Research Funding

Nigel Dodds: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the level of central Government funding for university research was for the current year in England per head of population.

Margaret Hodge: There are three sources of Government funding for higher education research in England: The Higher Education Funding Council for England, the Research Councils and Government Departments. The most recent year for which all these figures are available is for academic year 2000–01, when funding totalled #1.75 billion. Using the latest population estimates from the Office of National Statistics for 2001, at around 49,181,000, this is approximately #36 per head of population.

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

XLiving Places, Powers, Rights and Responsibilities"

James Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many copies of her recent consultation paper XLiving Places, Powers, Rights and Responsibilities", were printed; how they were distributed; how many local authorities received them; and what steps she took to publish it.

Michael Meacher: There were 5,000 copies printed initially, with a view that more would be printed if needed. Copies were sent to all local authorities, a wide variety of associations including trade associations, civic societies, the police, NGOs, utility companies, environmental bodies and groups, institutes, small to large businesses, including multi-national corporations, rail operators, women's groups, retailers, other Government Departments and relevant agencies, waste operators and land managers.
	The cross-Government review of public space during the summer, involving most central Government Departments, identified many issues that were essential for improving the local environment. The culmination was the Living Places consultation paper, which was launched by my right hon. Friend the Member for Cardiff, South and Penarth (Alun Michael) at the Urban Summit in Birminham on 31 October.

XLiving Places, Powers, Rights and Responsibilities"

James Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many responses she has received to her recent consultation paper Living Places, Powers, Rights and Responsibilities; and if she will make a statement.

Michael Meacher: To date we have received seven responses to our consultation. We do not expect many until nearer the closing date due to the number and complexity of the proposals.

Agircultural Waste Stakeholders Forum

Peter Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on progress within the Agricultural Waste Stakeholders Forum.

Michael Meacher: The Agricultural Waste Stakeholders' Forum has met twice—on 24 Septembern and 25 November. We have set up a website on which the agenda for, the minutes of and papers discussed at, these meetings are available. The address is: http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/waste/agforum/index.htm
	At its meeting on 25 November the Forum agreed to the formation of four sub-groups to address specific issues. These are Research and Development; Information Campaign; Licensing and Exemptions; and Recovery, Re-use and Recycling of Non-natural Farm Waste. The sub-groups will meet before the Forum's next meeting on 30 January 2003 and will report their progress to the Forum.

Cattle

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the Government's policy is on the arrangements under which a farmer may have cattle aged over 30 months slaughtered for personal consumption.

Hazel Blears: I have been asked to reply.
	Cattle aged over 30 months may only be slaughtered for human consumption if they come from a low BSE-risk Beef Assurance Scheme herd, for which the age limit is 42 months. All such cattle must be slaughtered in a licensed abattoir, test negatively for BSE, and their meat held under Meat Hygiene Service supervision until the test result is obtained. After receipt of a negative BSE test result, the animal's vertebral column and dorsal root ganglia must be removed from the carcass, under Meat Hygiene Service supervision, at a licensed cutting plant that is separately licensed by the Food Standards Agency for this purpose. Following this, the meat may be supplied to the farmer for personal consumption or for consumption by any other person.
	The only exception permitted to this would be if an over 30 month animal was slaughtered personally by its owner for his or her own consumption, with there being no supply of the beef to any other person.

Corporate Environmental Reporting

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps her Department has taken to encourage corporate environmental reporting.

Michael Meacher: We have have produced a series of guidelines to help companies measure and report their environmental performance, including general guidelines published last year and more specific guidance on reporting the key impacts of greenhouse gas emissions, waste and water. The general guidelines were endorsed by the CBI and sent to approximately 3,000 of their members, and to all of the leading FTSE 350 listed companies.
	We have written this year to companies in the FTSE 350 asking them what they had done to respond to the Prime Minister's challenge to report on their environmental performance. A list of the results was placed in the Library of the House in July.
	We have also been working with the Department for Trade and Industry on plans for some important new reporting provisions, set out in the White Paper on Modernising Company Law published this summer. These would require approximately 1,000 of the most economically significant companies to include information on environmental, social and community issues relevant to the company's business in a new Operating and Financial Review. We have supported the Department of Trade and Industry in establishing an independent group of experts to help develop guidance on how directors should assess whether an item is material to their company and would therefore have to be included in its OFR. The group met for the first time this month and will produce guidance in autumn next year.

Food Safety

Jimmy Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions she has had with the European Food Safety Authority regarding harmonisation of approaches to Food Safety.

Hazel Blears: I have been asked to reply.
	The European Food Safety Authority is in the process of being set up and the future route for input by member states will be through the Authority's advisory forum. This body, which will comprise representatives of Government food agencies, will assist the Authority in its work programme as well as ensuring efficient networking and provide a mechanism for exchanging information on potential risks and for pooling knowledge. It will also encourage broad understanding and acceptance of the scientific advice of the Authority in Europe. The first formal meeting is expected next year.
	Negotiations continue on various proposals in the legislative programme, set out in the Commission's January 2000 White Paper on Food Safety, which are intended to update and harmonise European Union food law and safety.

Foxhunting

James Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will publish the terms of the licence under which foxhunting occurs on Forestry Commission land.

Alun Michael: The Forestry Commission allows fox hunting only where it has traditionally taken place or where the right to hunt is reserved in the Commission's title.
	The Commission has an agreement with the Masters of the Foxhounds Association whereby hunts are licensed individually for access to Commission land. The latest copy of the agreement has been placed in the Library of the House.

GM Field Trials

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she expects to publish the conclusions of the GM field trials experiment; and if she will make a statement on the timetable for decisions regarding future public policy in respect of the commercial cultivation of GM crops and the extent to which field trials will inform such decisions.

Michael Meacher: holding answer 3 December 2000
	The results of the Farm Scale Evaluations for the three spring sown GM crops, fodder maize, beet and spring oil seed rape, are expected to be published in Summer 2003. The results for winter oil seed rape will be published early in 2004. The results will show what effect, if any, there is on the diversity and abundance of farmland wildlife associated with the farmers' management of GM herbicide tolerant crops as compared with equivalent non-GM crops. This will be one factor which will inform decisions that will be taken under Directive 2001/18/EC on the release of these particular GM crops.
	In addition there are other regulatory approvals, such as those the commercial cultivation of a GM crop. The nature and timing of any decision taken by the Government will depend on the status of each particular crop within the regulatory system. The Government has a voluntary agreement with the industry that GM crops will not be grown commercially in the UK at least until the Farm Scale Evaluation programme has been completed. No GM crops will be grown commercially in the UK until we are satisfied that they do not cause damage on the environment.

Hunting

Adrian Flook: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the oral statement on 3 December 2002, Official Report, column 755W, of the right hon. Member for Cardiff, South and Penarth (Mr. Michael) on hunting with dogs, what evidence he assessed that led him to conclude that stag hunting should be banned.

Alun Michael: The Bill that was published last week is intended to enable Parliament to reach a conclusion on the contentious issue of hunting with hounds. It seeks to prevent cruelty while recognising those activities which are necessary to countryside management such as the protection of animals or crops. All activities have to satisfy the two tests of Xutility" and cruelty (least suffering). The evidence on which decisions were taken include the report of the Burns inquiry and evidence provided to that inquiry, public hearings held in Portcullis House in September and submissions from a variety of organisations and individuals.
	All the evidence has been published: the Burns report and related documents in 2000; 194 letters from organisations or individual hunts in response to the consultation letter of 31 May 2002; complete verbatim transcripts of hearings on 9–11 September 2002 in Portcullis House; videotapes of these hearings are also available, and papers of evidence submitted by the witnesses at those hearings. All of these documents are in the Libraries of both Houses of Parliament.

Kyoto Obligations

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what research her Department has undertaken on public attitudes towards the UK meeting its Kyoto obligations on renewable energy and the potential change in electricity prices to the consumer; and if she will make a statement on how the cost of electricity for consumers will affect the Government's policy of promoting renewable energy sources.

Brian Wilson: I have been asked to reply.
	I refer the hon. Member to the answer given today, PQ No. 85437.

Marine Environment

Jane Griffiths: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when the second round of consultation on marine environment high risk areas will take place.

David Jamieson: I have been asked to reply.
	I expect that the consultation document will be issued during February 2003.

Ordnance Survey Mapping

Ian Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the accuracy is of Ordnance Survey Mapping.

Tony McNulty: Statistical information about the accuracy of Ordnance Survey mapping is published on the Ordnance Survey web site at http://www.ordnancesurvev.co.uk/productpages/landline/positional-background.htm.

Projects (Sedgefield)

James Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs which projects in the Sedgefield constituency have benefited from the landfill tax credit scheme.

John Healey: I understand environmental bodies within the Sedgefield constituency have invested in around 15 ongoing or completed environmental projects as a result of the Landfill Tax Credit Scheme.

Recycling (Christmas)

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate she has of the number of (a) christmas cards and (b) christmas trees that were recycled in each year since 1990; what support she provides to local authorities with regard to the recycling of Christmas cards; and if she will make a statement.

Michael Meacher: holding answer 12 December 2002
	Defra does not hold information on the recycling of Christmas cards and trees centrally, but I am aware of a scheme to collect and recycle used Christmas cards run in January 2002 by the Woodland Trust. This resulted in 34 million Christmas cards being recycled, in addition to those that were recycled by local authorities as part of their normal collection and recycling of waste paper. Further information is available from the Woodland Trust Website: http://www.woodland-trust.org.uk.
	Some local authorities do report the number of Christmas trees they recycle to the environmental charity EnCams. The number of trees reported to be recycled in each year since 1997 are:
	
		
			 Year Christmas trees recycled (English local authorities) 
		
		
			 1997 114,427 
			 2998 171,488 
			 1999 413,560 
			 2000 728,927 
			 2001 894,720 
			 2002 1,194,670 
		
	
	There is no special provision made to local authorities for the recycling of Christmas cards and trees. However, the Spending Review 2000 included an annual increase in revenue support for Environmental, Protective and Cultural Services (EPCS), which includes waste management services. By 2003–04 this support will have risen by 1.1 billion over the 2000–01 provision.
	The 2002 Spending Review has also announced that EPCS spending will increase by a further #671 million by 2005–06. Consistent with the general local authority financial framework, it is for individual local authorities to decide the proportion of their budget that should be directed to waste management work.
	In addition to general support to local authority revenue expenditure, Spending Review 2000 provided a #140 million Waste Minimisation and Recycling Fundand 220 million of Private Finance Initiatives (PFI) resources, for waste projects, in Spending Review 2002, the PFI provision was increased to #355 million over the next three years. In addition, the New Opportunities Fund will distribute #38.75 million to expand community sector waste reuse, recycling and composting in England.

Waste Framework Directive

Peter Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what forms of agricultural waste will be subject to the Waste Framework Directive.

Michael Meacher: Section 75(7)(c) of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 excludes from our national waste management controls, Xwaste from premises used for agriculture within the meaning of the Agriculture Act 1947". This, exclusion is in contravention of the Waste Framework Directive and we are preparing Regulations which will have the effect of repealing it. As a result, the Waste Framework Directive will apply to all types of agricultural waste other than those excluded from the Directive's scope by Article 2. In practice, this means that all forms of agricultural waste will be subject to control under the Waste Framework Directive other than animal carcasses which are subject to controlunder the Animal Waste Directive. The Waste Framework Directive provides that Xwaste" is X. . . any substance or object . . . which the holder discards or intends or is required to discard."

Waste Management

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans there are for new landfill sites for the disposal of household waste in England.

Michael Meacher: Waste Strategy 2000 recognises that landfill will still have a role to play in any sustainable waste management system, but that it will be a much smaller role.
	Local authorities should take into account the landfill diversion targets required by the Landfill Directive, to reduce the landfilling of biodegradable waste to landfill across the United Kingdom by around two-thirds in line with the timetable set out in the directive (ie by 2016, should the UK decide not to take advantage of the final four year derogation) and the recycling and recovery targets set out in WS2000.

Waste Management

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate she has made of the proportion of household waste (a) buried in landfill sites, (b) incinerated and (c) recycled in each local authority in England.

Michael Meacher: Local authorities are required to provide estimates of the proportion of household waste recycled (including composting) recovered (including incineration) and landfilled under the Best Value regime. The latest results for 2000–01 are published on the ODPM website www.bvpi.gov.uk and a copy has been placed in the Library of the House. Estimates for 2001–02 will be available shortly.
	
		Proportion of household waste recycled (including composting) recovered (including incineration)—waste disposal and unitary authorities -- Percentage
		
			  BV82a+b recycled and composted BV82c incinerated BV82d landfilled 
		
		
			 Barnsley 10.0 0.0 90.0 
			 Bath and North East Somerset 21.3 0.0 78.7 
			 Bedfordshire County Council 7.3 0.0 92.7 
			 Bexley 29.0 45.7 25.3 
			 Birmingham 13.6 45.8 38.3 
			 Blackburn with Darwen 4.9 0.0 95.1 
			 Blackpool 12.0 0.0 88.1 
			 Bournemouth 28.0 0.0 72.0 
			 Bracknell Forest 12.8 0.0 87.3 
			 Bradford 11.6 0.0 88.4 
			 Brighton and Hove 10.0 0.0 90.0 
			 Bristol 11.0 0.0 89.0 
			 Bromley 14.5 0.0 85.5 
			 Buckinghamshire County Council 23.2 0.0 76.7 
			 Calderdale 9.1 0.0 90.7 
			 Cambridgeshire County Council 19.4 0.0 80.6 
			 Cheshire County Council 14.9 0.0 85.0 
			 Cornwall County Council 9.4 0.0 90.6 
			 Coventry 9.1 57.8 33.1 
			 Croydon 16.4 1.5 82.1 
			 Cumbria County Council 8.5 0.0 91.5 
			 Darlington 10.8 0.0 89.2 
			 Derby 12.2 0.0 87.7 
			 Derbyshire County Council 3.7 0.0 88.9 
			 Devon County Council 19.8 0.0 80.2 
			 Doncaster 3.8 0.0 96.1 
			 Dorset County Council 22.4 0.0 72.8 
			 Dudley 11.8 62.9 25.2 
			 Durham County Council 4.9 0.0 95.1 
			 East Riding of Yorkshire 11.5 0.0 86.5 
			 East Sussex County Council 13.0 7.8 79.2 
			 Essex County Council 21.5 0.0 78.5 
			 Gateshead 6.8 0.0 93.2 
			 Gloucestershire County Council 13.5 0.0 86.6 
			 Greater Manchester WDA 4.9 3.3 86.4 
			 Greenwich 17.2 48.8 34.0 
			 Halton 10.1 0.0 89.9 
			 Hampshire County Council 26.2 0.0 73.8 
			 Hartlepool 17.2 60.4 22.4 
			 Herefordshire 14.4 0.0 85.6 
			 Hertfordshire County Council 16.3 6.1 76.6 
			 Isle of Wight 26.3 13.3 60.4 
			 Kent County Council 14.0 0.0 86.0 
			 Kingston-upon-Hull 7.9 0.0 91.9 
			 Kingston-upon-Thames 18.9 0.0 81.1 
			 Kirklees 16.6 0.0 83.4 
			 Lancashire County Council 11.7 0.0 88.6 
			 Leeds 10.6 0.0 89.4 
			 Leicester 13.7 0.0 86.3 
			 Leicestershire County Council 14.8 0.0 80.0 
			 Lewisham 4.2 87.5 8.2 
			 Lincolnshire County Council 12.7 0.0 87.3 
			 Luton 13.9 0.0 86.1 
			 Medway Towns 11.0 0.0 89.0 
			 Merton 16.3 0.0 83.7 
			 Middlesbrough 23.8 60.6 15.6 
			 Milton Keynes 13.4 0.0 86.6 
			 Newcastle upon Tyne 3.3 0.0 96.7 
			 Norfolk County Council 9.1 0.0 84.8 
			 North East Lincolnshire 8.0 0.0 92.0 
			 North Lincolnshire 13.2 0.0 86.8 
			 North Somerset 11.8 0.0 88.2 
			 North Tyneside 4.9 44.2 51.0 
			 North Yorkshire County Council 8.8 0.0 91.1 
			 Northamptonshire County Council 13.8 0.0 86.2 
			 Northumberland County Council 5.4 0.0 94.6 
			 Nottingham 4.1 41.3 54.6 
			 Nottinghamshire County Council 13.2 11.0 74.0 
			 Oxfordshire County Council 13.8 0.0 86.0 
			 Peterborough 19.8 0.0 80.2 
			 Plymouth 21.2 0.0 78.8 
			 Poole 25.0 0.0 75.0 
			 Portsmouth 16.9 0.0 83.1 
			 Reading 9.0 0.0 90.2 
			 Redcar and Cleveland 4.0 53.0 43.0 
			 Rotherham 4.2 0.0 95.8 
			 Rutland 18.9 0.0 81.1 
			 Sandwell 5.4 1.6 93.0 
			 Sheffield 5.8 37.3 57.2 
			 Shropshire County Council 8.7 0.2 91.1 
			 Slough 13.7 0.0 86.3 
			 Solihuil 7.2 33.4 59.4 
			 Somerset County Council 14.8 0.0 85.2 
			 South Gloucestershire 7.8 0.0 92.2 
			 South Tyneside 10.4 0.0 89.6 
			 Southampton 10.4 0.1 89.5 
			 Southend-on-Sea 20.7 0.0 72.0 
			 Southwark 5.8 18.5 75.7 
			 Staffordshire County Council 11.9 17.9 69.9 
			 Stockton-on-Tees 34.7 58.0 7.4 
			 Stoke-on-Trent 12.7 49.5 37.9 
			 Suffolk County Council 17.2 0.0 82.8 
			 Sunderland 1.7 1.6 96.7 
			 Surrey County Council 7.6 0.0 92.4 
			 Sutton 23.5 0.0 76.6 
			 Swindon 13.6 0.0 86.4 
			 Telford and Wrekin 8.4 0.0 92.0 
			 Thurrock 16.4 0.0 83.6 
			 Tower Hamlets 2.8 0.0 97.3 
			 Wakefield 5.1 0.0 94.9 
			 Walsall 10.2 3.7 86.2 
			 Warrington 13.3 0.0 90.3 
			 Warwickshire County Council 5.8 0.6 87.7 
			 West Berkshire 11.4 0.0 88.6 
			 West London WDA 11.1 0.1 88.5 
			 West Sussex County Council 14.3 0.0 85.5 
			 Western Riverside WDA 9.1 0.1 90.8 
			 Westminster 10.7 55.6 33.6 
			 Wigan 3.5 0.0 96.5 
			 Wiltshire County Council 16.1 0.0 85.2 
			 Windsor and Maidenhead 22.6 0.0 77.2 
			 Wokingham 18.1 0.0 79.6 
			 Wolverhampton 7.0 63.0 30.0 
			 Worcestershire County Council 11.7 0.0 88.3 
			 York 9.8 0.0 90.2

TREASURY

Credit Unions

Tony Colman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what subsidies and grant funding were given to credit unions in (a) England and Wales and (b) the UK (i) by the UK Government and (ii) from European social funds in each year since 1997.

Ruth Kelly: This information is not readily available. However, research by Liverpool John Moores University in 1999 estimated that total public investment in credit unions in Britain could be in the range of #15-#20 million per annum.

Credit Unions

Tony Colman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the annual costs were of regulation of credit unions by (a) the Registrar of Friendly Societies in each year from 1997–2001 and (b) the Financial Services Authority in 2001–02.

Ruth Kelly: Data has not been collected in a form that details the cost of regulation, specific to credit unions.

Ethnic Minorities

Paul Goodman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many ethnic minority members in the Wycombe constituency were in employment in (a) spring 2001 and (b) spring 2002.

Ruth Kelly: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the Nationals Statistician. I have asked him to reply.
	Letter from L. Cook to Mr. Paul Goodman, dated 16 December 2002
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question about employment in Wycombe constituency. (87129)
	Information on the number of ethnic minority people in employment in the Wycombe parliamentary constituency will be available from the April 2001 Population Census when this is published in June 2003. Information about the employment of ethnic minorities is available each year from the Labour Force Survey, but the sample size for the Wycombe constituency is too small to provide a reliable estimate.

Insurance Policies

Oliver Letwin: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received on the absence of a statutory notice period before an insurance policy is cancelled by an insurer.

Ruth Kelly: Treasury Ministers receive numerous representations on a wide range of topics. The terms and conditions of insurance policies are a matter for insurers.

Landfill

Adrian Flook: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many projects he estimates will become financially unviable following the decision to make changes to the Landfill Tax Credit Scheme in (a) Somerset, (b) Dorset, (c) Devon, (d) Cornwall, (e) Wiltshire, (f) North Somerset, (g) Bristol and (h) Bath and North East Somerset.

John Healey: The Government have made no such estimates. The recently proposed changes to the Landfill Tax Credit Scheme will ensure that around #47 million per annum will continue to be made available for spending on local community environmental projects, ensuring that the current level of support for these types of projects is maintained. In addition there will be around #100 million per annum of funding available under the new public spending programme for sustainable waste management projects.
	Tax credits which have already been claimed by landfill operators, or which may be claimed until March 2003, will need to be spent under the existing LTCS arrangements. This will ensure that projects which have been allocated tax credit funding will continue to benefit until such time as they are completed.
	No decisions have yet been made on the criteria or scope of the replacement spending scheme.

Landfill

Adrian Flook: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many environmental projects which are funded by the Landfill Tax Credit Scheme have a completion date beyond March 2003 in (a) Somerset, (b) Dorset, (c) Devon, (d) Cornwall, (e) Wiltshire, (f) North Somerset, (g) Bristol and (h) Bath and North East Somerset.

John Healey: From details provided by ENTRUST, the regulator of the Landfill Tax Credit Scheme, the following estimates have been made of the number of projects with completion dates beyond March 2003 in each of the areas listed:
	
		
			 Area Number of Projects 
		
		
			 Somerset 18 
			 Dorset 2 
			 Cornwall 11 
			 Wiltshire 10 
			 North Somerset 0 
			 Bristol 26 
			 Bath and North East Somerset 0

Low Birth Weights

Chris Ruane: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many babies were born with a low birth weight, broken down by local authority, in each of the last three years.

Ruth Kelly: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.
	Letter from Len Cook to Mr. Chris Ruane, dated 16 December 2002
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking how many babies were born with a low birth weight, broken down by local authority, in each of the last three years. (87153)
	The number of low birth weight live births that occurred in each year from 1999 to 2001, by local authorities in England and Wales, are shown in the table which has been put in the Libraries of the House.

Teenage Pregnancies

Chris Ruane: To ask theChancellor of the Exchequer how many teenage pregnancies there were in each (a) constituency and (b) county in the last 12 months.

Ruth Kelly: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.
	Letter from Len Cook to Chris Ruane, dated 16 December 2002
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking how many teenage pregnancies there were in each (a) constituency and (b) county in the last 12 months. (87154)
	The latest available figures are for 2000. Teenage conception data for 2000 by local authorities were published on the ONS website on 27th February 2002 and will also be made available by ward by April 2003. To protect the confidentiality of individuals, figures for certain parliamentary constituencies cannot be released as this might reveal small number of cases in individual wards. Number of teenage conceptions by each parliamentary constituency and county for 2000 have been placed in the Libraries of the House.

Alcohol

Jim Cousins: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the expenditure on alcohol (a) in cash, (b) in real terms and (c) as a percentage of total expenditure in each region and nation of the United Kingdom in each year since 1996.

Ruth Kelly: holding answer 11 December 2002
	The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.
	Letter from Len Cook to Jim Cousins, dated 16 December 2002
	As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your recent question on estimates of expenditure on alcohol in each region and country of the United Kingdom in each year since 1996. (85732)
	The ONS compiles regional individual consumption expenditure estimates, including an estimated series for alcohol (current prices only). The latest data available are for the year 1999. These data are presented in the following table.
	
		Total expenditure on alcohol -- # million
		
			  North East North West Yorkshire and the Humber East Midlands West Midlands East London South East South West Wales Scotland Northern Ireland United Kingdom 
		
		
			 1996 1,299 3,728 2,517 1,874 2,411 2,140 3,449 3,762 2,102 1,267 2,618 612 27,779 
			 1997 1,334 3,794 2,691 1,963 2,424 22,232 3,843 3,831 2,249 1,347 2,723 678 29,109 
			 1998 1,345 3,777 2,860 1,946 2,518 2,350 4,305 3,913 2,303 1,342 2,794 695 30,147 
			 1999 1,351 4,224 2,774 2,239 2,660 2,653 4,505 4,464 2,456 1,448 3,040 754 32,567 
		
	
	
		Alcohol as a percentage of total consumption expenditure by region
		
			  North East North West Yorkshire and the Humber East Midlands West Midlands East London South East South West Wales Wales Scotland Northern Ireland United Kingdom 
		
		
			 1996 6.7 6.9 6.4 5.7 5.9 4.8 5.2 5.1 5.4 5.6 6.4 5.1 5.7 
			 1997 6.6 6.6 6.5 5.6 5.6 4.7 5.3 4.9 5.4 5.7 6.3 5.4 5.6 
			 1998 6.4 6.3 6.5 5.4 5.5 4.5 5.3 4.6 5.2 5.7 6.1 5.3 5.5 
			 1999 6.5 6.6 6.2 5.9 5.4 4.9 5.0 4.9 5.2 6.0 6.3 5.4 5.5 
		
	
	We do not publish sub-national economic estimates in real terms.

Appointments

Andrew Turner: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer to which bodies his Department makes appointments; how many members there are (a) in total and (b) in each body; and how many of those appointed are (i) businessmen, (ii) businessmen in SMEs and (iii) businessmen in micro-businesses.

Ruth Kelly: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 16 December
	by the Minister of State for the Cabinet Office.

Child Trust Funds

Mark Prisk: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions officials from his Department have had with representatives of (a) the banking industry, (b) building societies and (c) friendly societies regarding the provision of Child Trust Funds; what research his Department has undertaken on the provision of Child Trust Funds; and if he will publish the research.

Ruth Kelly: Proposals for the Child Trust Fund were first published in April 2001 in the consultation document entitled XSaving and Assets for All". A follow up consultation document, XDelivering Saving and Assets", was published in November 2001. A wide range of financial services providers have taken part in the consultation exercises to date. As announced in the pre-Budget report the Government will now consult with key stakeholders on the detailed implementation of the Child Trust Fund.

Child Trust Funds

Howard Flight: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he will introduce child trust funds.

Ruth Kelly: The Government provided an update on the child trust fund in the pre-Budget report (paragraphs 5.55–5.59).

Cigarettes

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the assumed change in revenues was in the pre-Budget report resulting from the October changes to arrangements for cross-channel purchases of cigarettes for own use for financial years 2003–04 and 2004–05; and if he will make a statement.

John Healey: The pre-Budget report public forecast for tobacco duty revenues cautiously allowed for a cost of around #100 million per year as a result of the package of measures announced in October.

Citizens Advice Bureau Service

Annabelle Ewing: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the publications produced by his Department that refer people to the Citizens Advice Bureau Service for advice and assistance; and whether Citizens Advice Scotland is informed of such referrals prior to publication.

Ruth Kelly: holding answer 2 December 2002
	I refer the hon. Lady to the answer given to her by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Competition, Consumers and Markets on 3 December 2002, Official Report, column 684W.

Civil Servants

Chris Ruane: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many civil servants are employed by his Department; and how much money was spent by his Department in the last 12 months, broken down by local authority area.

Ruth Kelly: Data on the location of civil servants are not available in the format requested, except at disproportionate cost. Information is available for the Government Office Regions of Great Britain.
	For information on how many civil servants are employed by HM Treasury, Customs and Excise and Inland Revenue refer to Table D of Civil Service Statistics 2001, published in June 2001. Copies of the publication were placed in the Library of the House at the time of publication.
	Information regarding how much money spent by the above Departments by local authority area is not available.

Cocaine (Death Certificates)

Lynne Jones: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make it Government policy to ensure that deaths caused by crack cocaine and cocaine are identified separately on death certificates.

Ruth Kelly: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.
	Letter from L. Cook to Lynne Jones, dated 16 December 2002
	As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your question about ensuring that deaths caused by crack cocaine and cocaine are identified separately on death certificates. (86254)
	Deaths that may be due to drug poisoning are referred to the coroner, who has a duty to report on the cause of death on the best available evidence. As part of his investigations the coroner may order tests to be carried out to detect the presence of particular drugs or other toxins. Unfortunately, it is unlikely that these would separately identify whether the cocaine taken in the form of crack cocaine.
	The Government recognises the concern that precise levels of drug-misuse deaths are not clearly identified due to a lack of available monitored information. As part of an Action Plan to Prevent Drug-related Deaths, #320,000 is being invested in better surveillance and monitoring systems which will allow increased analysis of information from coroners' reports and provide best practice guidance and training to coroners. It is hoped that this will improve the evidence provided by coroners on death certificates to better distinguish different types of drug-misuse deaths, where evidence other than toxicology is available.

Council Tax

Howard Flight: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what local government revenue from council tax was in each year since 1997.

Paul Boateng: Figures for council tax in England, Scotland and Wales and domestic rates in Northern Ireland, are published by the Office for National Statistics and in Budget and PBR documents for the relevant years.

Demography

Steve Webb: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many single (a) women and (b) men will reach the age of 60 years between 20 September and 25 December.

Ruth Kelly: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.
	Letter from Len Cook to Mr. Steve Webb, dated 16 December 2002
	As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your question concerning the number of single women and single men who will reach the age of 60 years between 20 September and 25 December 2002. (87602)
	It is estimated that there will be 21,000 single women and 17,000 single men in England and Wales who will reach the age of 60 during this period. Single has been defined to include single (never married), widowed and divorced.
	These figures are estimates. They have been derived using interim revised national population projections produced by the Government Actuary's Department.Data from the Office for National Statistics on the pattern of births in 1942 indicates the proportion of the total number of 59-year-old men and women in June 2002 who will reach the age of 60 between 20 September and 25 December 2002. Data from national population projections by marital status produced by the Government Actuary's Department have been used to estimate the proportion who are single.

Departmental Report

Norman Lamb: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer how much it costs to produce HM Treasury's departmental report 2002; and how many copies of the report were sold at its cover price.

Paul Boateng: The final cost of producing HM Treasury's departmental report was #4,912. 454 copies have been sold for the most recent edition (Cm 5425, published 10 June 2002). This includes copies supplied at discount by The Stationary Office Limited (TSO) to certain types of customer.

Earnings Statistics

Michael Foster: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of average earnings in (a) the West Midlands region, (b) the West Midlands conurbation, (c) Birmingham, (d) Walsall, (e) Wolverhampton, (f) Dudley, (g) Solihull, (h) Coventry, (i) Sandwell, (j) Worcestershire, (k) Herefordshire, (l) Shropshire, (m) Warwickshire, (n) North Warwickshire, (o) Nuneaton and Bedworth, (p) Rugby, (q) Stratford-on-Avon and (r) Warwick, in the last year for which figures are available.

Ruth Kelly: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.
	Letter from L Cook to Mr. M Foster, dated 16 December 2002
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent question on average earnings for counties and unitary authorities in West Midlands. (87029)
	I have provided a table overleaf, showing average weekly earnings, from the 2002 New Earnings Survey (NES), the latest survey for which data are available.
	The NES can provide earnings data for small geographical areas. The release of NES data is restricted to figures that are derived from a sufficiently large sample of employees, and have an acceptable level of accuracy and I have provided the available data for the areas requested where the samples are large enough.
	
		New Earnings Survey, April 2002 Full time employees on adult rates whose pay for the survey pay period was unaffected by absence -- #
		
			  Average Gross Weekly Earnings  
		
		
			 West Midlands Government Office Region 427.3 
			   
			 West Midlands Metropolitan County 442.1 
			 Birmingham 459.5 
			 Walsall 372.6 
			 Wolverhampton 434.1 
			 Dudley 391.5 
			 Solihull 465.0 
			 Coventry 488.7 
			 Sandwell 402.3 
			   
			 Hereford & Worcester 400.5 
			 Herefordshire Unitary Authority 375.7 
			   
			 Shropshire 392.0 
			 Warwickshire 457.4 
			 North Warwickshire (13)— 
			 Nuneaton and Bedworth 382.2 
			 Rugby (13)— 
			 Stratford-on-Avon 440.8 
			 Warwick 454.9 
		
	
	(13) Denotes the data has been suppressed in line with NES publication criteria.

Environmental Health Practitioners

Tony Cunningham: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to allow tax incentives to companies who take on an environmental health practitioner.

John Healey: The Government keeps all taxes under review and any changes will be announced as part of the normal Budget process. The Government currently has no plans to allow tax relief to companies who take on an environmental health practitioner.

Equitable Life

Colin Pickthall: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what contingency plans have been made to help pensioners in the event of Equitable Life going into liquidation.

Ruth Kelly: holding answer 12 December 2002
	Equitable Life issued its interim accounts on 15 November and made it clear that it remained solvent. The FSA continues to monitor the company to ensure that it is complying with regulatory requirements.
	Should an insurer become insolvent a safety net for policyholders is already in place in the shape of the Financial Services Compensation Scheme. The Scheme will act if a company has become insolvent or gone out of business. The Scheme will first seek to take measures to safeguard policyholders, for example by trying to ensure that policies are transferred to another company. If that is not possible then compensation may be payable to eligible policyholders, subject to the Scheme rules.

Government Debt

Howard Flight: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  how much Government debt has been generated by private finance initiatives (a) as a percentage of GDP and (b) in total;
	(2)  whether the forecast net borrowing for this financial year includes Government liabilities generated by private finance initiatives.

Paul Boateng: Forecasts of the Government's net borrowing are compiled in accordance with National Accounts concepts and methods, which are based on international rules (European System of Accounts—ESA95), that the Government are legally obliged to follow. Under these rules economic activity is measured by transactions, which are recorded according to the sector considered to be undertaking the transaction.
	For an on-balance sheet PFI deal, the capital expenditure adds to public sector net borrowing, assuming that there are no off-setting reductions in other capital spending. For an off-balance sheet PFI contract, the capital expenditure does not affect public sector net borrowing. Professional accountants, in preparing the accounts of Government Departments, judge whether a PFI deal is on or off balance sheet. The National Audit Office, or a comparable audit body, audits these decisions.
	The Government publish a full statement of expected PFI-related payments in the Budget, showing estimated PFI payments for the next 25 years. Service charge payments made by the public sector to the private sector score as public sector current expenditure in the year in which they are made.

Highlands and Islands

David Stewart: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what revised gross domestic product figures for the Highlands and Islands regarding eligibility for Objective One status for 2000–06 the Office of National Statistics has calculated since the bids for Objective One status were submitted.

Ruth Kelly: holding answer 2 December 2002
	The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.
	Letter from L. Cook to Mr. David Stewart, dated 16 December 2002
	As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your recent question on Gross Domestic Product (GDP) for Highlands and Islands. (84295)
	The Office for National Statistics (ONS) publishes estimates of regional and sub-regional Gross Value Added (GVA, previously referred to as Gross Domestic Product—GDP), compiled using methods agreed at a European level. These data are then supplied to Eurostat, the Statistical Office of the European Union, who convert the data into euros and Purchasing Power Parities (PPPs) for international comparison. The PPP-based data for sub-regions (NUTS level 2) have been used to determine eligibility for Objective 1 of the Structural Funds. The Highlands and Islands Enterprise area is a single NUTS2 unit.
	The GDP figures for the NUTS 2 area of Highlands and Islands for 1993 to 1996 were published in October 1998. These data (Table 1) were based on the European System of Accounts 1979 (ESA79) methodology, and were used to inform the decisions on Objective 1 eligibility for the period 2000 to 2006.
	
		Table 1: ONS data published in October 1998
		
			  1993 1994 1995 1996 
		
		
			 GDP # million 2,739 2,877 2,990 3,093 
			 GDP # per head 7,385 7,729 8,020 8,308 
			 GDP # per head UK=100 80 79 79 78 
		
	
	In April 2001, sub-regional gross value added (GVA) data were published using the new ESA95 methodology, for the period 1993 to 1998, as shown in Table 2. ESA95 is the new National and Regional Accounts convention now used for compiling regional accounts by all EU countries.
	
		Table 2: ONS data published in April 2001
		
			  1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 
		
		
			 GDP # million 2,947 3,052 3,176 3,217 3,306 3,461 
			 GDP # per head 7,943 8,199 8,515 8,634 8,898 9,369 
			 GDP # per head UK=100 82 81 80 77 75 75 
		
	
	The ONS published revised estimates for NUTS level 1 (Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, and the nine English Government Office Regions) for 1989 to 1999 on 21 November 2002, and will be publishing provisional estimates for 2000 and 2001 in December 2002. The ONS then plans to publish consistent sub-regional and local area (NUTS levels 2 and 3 respectively) GVA for the period 1993–2000 early in 2003. These data will be supplied to Eurostat, who will, as described above, convert these to a PPP basis before publishing on an EU=100 index basis.
	However, I should like to draw to your attention to an announcement the ONS put out this week about an error in sub-national, annual business inquiry estimates which provide part of the source information for many industries. These are impacting on the ONS regional GVA publications of 21 November 2002 and 17 December 2002 referred to above. The size of the error is within the range of variability seen by changes made in the past when first published GVA estimates have been revised. We are taking the unusual step of publishing a revised series of estimates at NUTS-1, 2 and 3 level in early 2003. Therefore the regional GVA series being published in 2002 are being referred to as provisional, but because the size of the revisions is not anticipated to be outside of past user experiences they will continue to be made available, subject to being marked as provisional from now on. The announcement can be found at the NS website at: www.statistics.gov.uk/notices/Impact_on_other_regional_outputs.asp

Loan Guarantees

Harry Cohen: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on his policy relating to setting out in the national accounts the extent of Government liability for guarantees of loans, with special reference to the London Underground.

Ruth Kelly: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.
	Letter from Len Cook to Mr. Harry Cohen, dated 16 December 2002
	As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your recent parliamentary question relating to setting out in the national accounts the extent of Government liability for guarantees of loans, with special reference to the London Underground. (86555).
	The responsibility for the national accounts falls to me as National Statistician.
	Guarantees of loans are usually accounted for as contingent liabilities. As such they are not included in national accounts under the rules of the European System of Accounts 1995. The Office for National Statistics has not been asked about the status of any guarantees for possible London Underground loans.

Ministerial Engagements

Andrew Turner: To ask Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer how many engagements were undertaken outside London (a) by him or his predecessor and (b) by ministers in his Department in January (i) 2000, (ii) 2001 and (iii) 2002.

Ruth Kelly: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer that the Minister of State, Cabinet Office has given him today.

Parliamentary Questions

Graham Brady: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he will answer written question 83395 tabled by the hon. Member for Altrincham and Sale, West on 21 November.

Dawn Primarolo: I replied to the hon. Gentleman's question on 12 December.

Partnerships UK

Howard Flight: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what procedures are in place to measure the effectiveness of Partnerships UK in delivering and developing public private partnerships; what plans his Department has for the future development of Partnerships UK; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Boateng: Partnerships UK has a unique corporate governance structure geared towards safeguarding its public sector mission. The structure includes the establishment of an Advisory Council chaired by Sir Andrew Turnbull, the Cabinet Secretary. The council is comprised of a wide range of representatives of PUK's public sector client base, and is appointed by HM Treasury. HM Treasury also appoints two non-executive directors to PUK's board.
	Copies of the Advisory Council's most recent report and Partnerships UK's Annual Report for the year 2002 are both available from the House Library.

Performance Reports

Howard Flight: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what the timetable is for publication of the performance reports as set out in the Pre-Budget Report, November 2002 (Cm 5664), paragraphs 6.49 to 6.54; and if he will make a statement on the performance of Government Departments on publication of their full reports;
	(2)  pursuant to the Budget Red Book, April 2002 (HC 592), box 6.3, what dates his Department uses to define each of the four seasons of the year; and what the publication dates are for each Department's report;
	(3)  pursuant to the Pre-Budget Report, November 2002 (Cm 5664), paragraph 6.32, what the timetable is for implementation of his Department's plans to provide links on its website to Departments' PSA progress reports.

Paul Boateng: Departments are currently publishing their autumn performance reports, for which they are responsible. The page of links was established on the Treasury's website on 27 November 2002, and is being updated as reports are published. This page is available in the Public Spending and Services pages under the title, 'Links to Departmental Performance Documents'.

Public-Private Partnerships

Howard Flight: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of Partnerships UK in ensuring successful development and implementation of public-private partnerships; what guidance has been given to Partnerships UK; and how this differs from guidance given to the Treasury Taskforce.

Paul Boateng: Details of Partnerships UK's business strategy were outlined in the Information Memorandum issued prior to HM Treasury's capital raising exercise in early 2001. The company's progress measured against its business plan is covered in its latest Annual Report, a copy of which is also available from the House Library. Copies of the Information Memorandum and the Annual Report are both available from the House Library.
	Partnerships UK is a public-private partnership with the majority of its shares held by private sector institutions. As a minority shareholder, HM Treasury does not exercise control over the company. Partnerships UK's board is responsible for the overall management of PUK on behalf of its shareholders which include HM Treasury. HMT also appoints PUK's Advisory Council which monitors the delivery of PUK's public sector mission.
	The Treasury Taskforce as an arm of HM Treasury issued regular guidance to the public sector on the application of public-private partnerships. The taskforce was also responsible for PFI policy. Following the establishment of Partnerships UK, these roles have passed back to the Treasury and the Office of Government Commerce.

Research and Development

Martin Smyth: To ask Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer how much research and development funds were provided by central Government to institutions in (a) England, (b) Wales, (c) Scotland and (d) Northern Ireland, in the last year for which figures are available.

Patricia Hewitt: I have been asked to reply.
	The Government publication XForward Look 2001" (Cm5338) shows that in 2000–01, UK government departments and devolved administrations were estimated to have spent #5006 million on R&D, including #1518 million on the Science Budget, much of which will have been spent with external institution. Within this total the direct expenditure by the devolved administrations was #104 million by the Scottish Executive, #21 million by the National Assembly for Wales, and #32 million by the Northern Ireland departments. No overall figures are available to indicate the geographical breakdown of the institutions who received funding from these sources, but so as far as the breakdown of Science Budget spending is concerned, I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Strangford on 25 November, Official Report, column 33W.

Retirement

Jim Cunningham: To ask Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer what incentives he is putting in place to encourage young people to save for their retirement.

Ruth Kelly: The Government already provides generous tax relief, worth around #13 billion a year, to encourage saving in pensions for retirement.
	The Government is publishing a consultation document, on 17 December, which includes proposals for the simplification of the taxation of pensions, thus enabling people to plan effectively for their retirement.

Royal Mint

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will place a copy of the Royal Mint quinquennial prior options review in the Library.

Ruth Kelly: The 1999 review of options for the Royal Mint is commercially confidential, and therefore cannot be released in accordance with exemption 13 (third party's commercial confidences) of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.

Targets

Howard Flight: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the pre-Budget report, November 2002 (Cm 5664), paragraph 6.25, what the relationship is between the targets set, the outcomes departments are required to deliver and the money allocated by his Department to other Government Departments.

Paul Boateng: Public Service Agreements are an integral part of our spending plans. PSAs set out the objectives and outcomes Departments are required to deliver within their resources.

Tax Processing

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to his answer of 26 November, Official Report, column 159W, on Tax Processing, if he will place in the Library the underlying data for the basket of outputs for the previous two financial years; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: I have placed a copy of the information relating to financial year 2000–01 in the Library. This was the first year for which this data was collated.

Taxation (Non-domiciled Individuals)

Michael Portillo: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his plans are for the UK taxation of non-domiciled individuals resident in the UK.

Dawn Primarolo: My right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced in his Budget last April that we are reviewing the residence and domicile rules as they affect the tax liabilities of individuals. We believe that any modernisation of these rules needs to be based on clear principles: the rules should be fair, clear, easy to operate and support the competitiveness of the British economy. Paragraphs 5.81–82 of the Pre-Budget Report published on 27 November set out the latest position on the review.

Taxes (Wales)

Ian Lucas: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the amount of (a) income tax, (b) corporation tax, (c) inheritance tax, (d) capital gains tax, (e) national insurance and (f) VAT paid by organisations and persons in Wales in each year since 1997.

Dawn Primarolo: Available information is given in the table. Data on the regional distribution of inheritance tax are not collected regularly. A special survey estimated a yield of about #50 million for Wales in 2000–01. Figures for corporation tax are not available and it would only be possible to provide reliable estimates of national insurance contributions for Wales at disproportionate cost.
	
		# million 
		
			  1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 
		
		
			 Income tax(14) 2,670 2,630 2,990 3,230 
			 Capital gains tax(15) 30 40 40 30 
			 VAT(16) 2,470 2,260 2,500 2,480 
		
	
	(14) Estimated income tax liabilities for Wales based on the Survey of Personal Incomes.
	(15) Estimated capital gains tax liabilities in Wales.
	(16) VAT is a centrally collected tax and the figure for receipts is only available for the UK as a whole (HM Customs and Excise Annual Report, Table A1). The tax share for Wales is estimated by apportioning the figures for household expenditure from the ONS publication, XFamily Expenditure", by the number of households in Wales from XRegional Trends".

Treasury Publications

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to his answer of 2 December 2002, Official Report, column 506W, on Treasury publications, how many leaflets were distributed in the case of (a) the Budget and (b) the pre-Budget report; and if he will make a statement.

Ruth Kelly: The Treasury distributed 2.1 million Budget 2002 summary leaflets and 1.4 million leaflets summarising the 2002 pre-Budget report.

Trust Ports

Christopher Chope: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what adjustment he has made to the public sector borrowing requirement consequent upon the decision of the Office for National Statistics to classify major trust ports as public sector bodies;
	(2)  pursuant to his answer of 3 December 2002, Official Report, column 681W, on trust ports, what adjustments have been made to public sector accounts as a result;
	(3)  pursuant to his answer of 3 December 2002, Official Report, column 681W, on trust ports, when classification of major trust ports as public bodies became effective; and whether the classification has retrospective effect.

Ruth Kelly: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.
	Letter from Len Cook to Mr. Christopher Chope, dated 16 December 2002
	As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent questions on trust ports. (87522, 87559, 87561)
	The reclassification of major trust ports to public corporations in National Accounts became effective in September 2001. Available data were introduced retrospectively back to 1996. The National Accounts data are used for the public sector accounts. The Chancellor's fiscal measures are based on these and hence reflect the changes made to the National Accounts data.
	Trust ports data appear in the public sector accounts and net cash requirement in many places. I am not able to give you a breakdown of this. However, trust ports are not particularly significant in the overall public corporations' accounts, for example their gross operating surplus and capital formation both account for about 0.6% of the sector total.

UKAEA/BNFL

Crispin Blunt: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on how (a) UKAEA and (b) BNFL's liabilities are reflected in reports to Parliament about the national finances.

Paul Boateng: The information is as follows:
	UKAEA
	UKAEA is a non-ministerial public body reporting to the Department for Trade and Industry. Its liabilities are recorded in its balance sheet and in its annual report and accounts. This is available in the Library of the House and is accessible at http://www.ukaea.org.uk/about/acc 2002/cover1.htm. The liabilities that are recorded in its accounts include financial debts and provisions for the future costs of nuclear decommissioning.
	The financial debts of UKAEA, owed to the private sector, are included within public sector net debt—the statistic used to monitor the Chancellor's sustainable investment rule and reported to Parliament in the FSBR and PBR. Provisions are not recorded in public sector net debt.
	UKAEA's nuclear provisions are included in DTI's resource accounts that are presented to Parliament each year.
	BNFL
	BNFL is a public corporation. Its liabilities are recorded in its balance sheet in its annual report and accounts. This is available from the House of Commons Library and here http://www.bnfl.com/annualreport2002/pdfs/BN1726 Report.pdf. The liabilities that are recorded in its accounts include financial debts and provisions for the future costs of nuclear decommissioning. The financial debts of BNFL, owed to the private sector, are included within public sector net debt—the statistic used to monitor the Chancellor's sustainable investment rule and reported to Parliament in the FSBR and PBR. Provisions are not recorded in public sector net debt.
	BNFL's nuclear provisions are included in the resource accounts of DTI and MOD that are presented to Parliament each year.

Working Families Tax Credit

Michael Weir: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to his answers of 9 December (reference 86133 and 86134), whether a recipient of working families tax credit who marries prior to April 2003 and becomes responsible for children of his new wife can surrender his existing entitlement and make a new claim to include his new children.

Dawn Primarolo: No. The award would continue regardless of the change of circumstances. Working families tax credit is a fixed award and generally runs for the period of entitlement. However, a claimant can surrender an existing award and make a new claim following the birth of a baby, the adoption of a child or granting of a parental order for a surrogate child. The new tax credits will replace the current system from April 2003 and will be more responsive to changes in family circumstances.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Benefit Application Forms

Wayne David: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement on the process by which his Department compiles the questions used on benefit application forms.

Malcolm Wicks: Questions used on the Department's benefit application forms are deemed to be those which are most appropriate in order to capture relevant information on entitlement to benefit and how benefit may be paid, as laid down in the relevant legislation.
	They are arrived at by a process of research, consultation, testing and piloting.

Benefit Payments

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  whether claimants having to attend interviews to assess a claim to continue receiving a benefit as a cash payment (a) will be provided with travel assistance where they have no ready access to public transport and (b) will be able to claim travel expenses; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  whether interviews with claimants wishing to continue receiving cash payments will take place as close as possible to their home; and if he will make a statement;
	(3)  whether claimants will be required to attend an interview in order to continue receiving cash payments of their benefits from the Post Office; and if he will make a statement;
	(4)  what information benefit claimants will have to provide if they wish to continue receiving cash payments from the Post Office; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Brown: From April 2003 the normal method of payment for benefits and pensions will be directly into bank, building society or Post Office card accounts. Customers who wish to continue to collect their benefit or pension in cash at the Post Office need to choose one of the account options that can be accessed at post offices and provide these account details to the Department. Customers will not be required to attend special interviews as part of this process.

Benefits

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people claimed (a) jobseeker's allowance, (b) child-related benefits, (c) winter fuel payments and (d) sickness related benefits in (i) Lancashire and (ii) the North West of England in each of the last five years.

Malcolm Wicks: The available information is in the tables. Many benefit recipients fall within more than one category and there is therefore a degree of overlap between the figures.
	
		Number of people claiming jobseeker's allowance
		
			  Lancashire North West region 
		
		
			 May 1998 18,536 164,925 
			 May 1999 18,242 155,903 
			 May 2000 16,375 139,888 
			 May 2001 14,955 126,094 
			 May 2002 13,679 119,224 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Figures are unrounded.
	2. Figures are not seasonally adjusted.
	Source:
	Jobseeker's Allowance Computer System, 100 per cent. claimant count.
	
		Number of families receiving child benefit
		
			  Lancashire North West region 
		
		
			 August 1999 141,535 872,645 
			 August 2000 141,680 860,675 
			 August 2001 142,150 866,530 
			 August 2002 141,780 863,173 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Figures are rounded to the nearest 5.
	2. Figures by county and region are not available prior to 1999.
	Source:
	Child Benefit Computer System, 100 per cent. claimant count.
	
		Number of families on key benefits
		
			  Lancashire North West region 
		
		
			 May 1998 27,100 218,400 
			 May 1999 26,500 208,900 
			 May 2000 25,900 200,600 
			 May 2001 24,800 194,300 
			 May 2002 24,100 188,500 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Key benefits are income support and jobseeker's allowance with a child premium, and incapacity benefit and severe disablement allowance with a child dependency increase.
	2. Child premia and child dependency increases are paid for children under 16 and young adult dependants aged 16–18 for whom child benefit is payable.
	Source:
	DWP Information Centre Client Group Analysis, 5 per cent. statistical samples.
	
		Winter fuel payment recipients
		
			  Lancashire North West region 
		
		
			 Winter 1999–2000 210,000 1,207,400 
			 Winter 2000–01 233,600 1,335,900 
			 Winter 2001–02 233,000 1,336,500 
		
	
	Notes:
	Figures have been rounded to the nearest hundred.
	Source:
	Winter Fuel Payment Matching Intelligence Data Analysis Service, 100 per cent. data.
	
		Number of people claiming sickness related benefits
		
			  Lancashire North West region 
		
		
			 May 1998 63,300 448,400 
			 May 1999 62,600 444,100 
			 May 2000 62,600 442,400 
			 May 2001 65,000 450,100 
			 May 2002 65,300 448,000 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Sickness related benefits are incapacity benefit, severe disablement allowance and income support with a disability premium.
	2. Figures are rounded to the nearest hundred.
	Source:
	DWP Information Centre Client Group Analysis, 5 per cent. statistical samples.

Child Maintenance Payments

Martin Caton: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when the new system for calculating child maintenance payments will be extended to all Child Support Agency cases.

Malcolm Wicks: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given to the hon. Member for Galloway and Upper Nithsdale (Mr. Duncan) on 27 November 2002, Official Report, column 318.

Child Support Agency

Brian Iddon: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what provisions are in place within CSA assessments to help with the additional costs that non-resident parents incur when they have to travel long distances and accommodate themselves in hotels in order to see their children.

Malcolm Wicks: A system of Departures from the formula exists in the current Child Support scheme. This allows a non-resident parent's maintenance assessment to be adjusted in cases where high contact costs are incurred. In the new scheme, this has been replaced by a system of Variations. These also take account of the cost of overnight accommodation where a return journey on the same day would be impractical. Under both schemes an award only takes effect when a threshold level of cost has been exceeded.

Child Support Agency

Brian Iddon: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when the reforms to the CSA system will be introduced; and when they will be extended to parents already in the CSA system.

Malcolm Wicks: I refer my hon. Friend to the letter sent to hon. Members on 19 September 2002 by my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State, a copy of which was placed in the Library. The new scheme will commence for existing clients when we are satisfied that it is working well, which we expect to be about a year later.

Child Support Agency

Peter Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when he will implement new guidelines for assessments by the Child Support Agency for existing clients.

Malcolm Wicks: I refer the hon. Member to the letter sent to hon. Members on 19 September 2002 by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State, a copy of which is available in the Library. The new scheme will commence for existing clients when we are satisfied that it is working well, which we expect to be about a year later than for new clients.

Departmental Website

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will list the website links associated with his Department, including sites now dormant or closed; what the start-up costs were for each site; what the operating costs were in each year for each site; which company hosts each site; and what assessment has taken place for each site.

Malcolm Wicks: I refer the hon. Member to the written answer I gave the hon. Member for Twickenham (Dr. Cable) on 7 November, Official Report, column 293–94W.

Executive Agencies

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement on the future staffing levels of his Department's Executive Agencies; what changes in employment levels will be brought about by (a) the move to Jobcentre Plus and (b) the establishment of the new Pension Service; and if he will provide estimates for total staffing levels in each of the next three years.

Ian McCartney: Information on the future staffing levels of the Department's Executive Agencies is not as yet available. Profiles for staffing levels in each of the next three years are still being developed by each of the businesses.

Fraud

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what (a) recorded and (b) estimated level of fraud has taken place through benefit payments at post offices in each of the last ten years.

Malcolm Wicks: holding answer 12 December 2002
	As part of our programme to modernise welfare delivery, from next April we shall be paying more benefits direct into bank accounts. The move to direct paymentprovides a safe, convenient, more modern and efficient way of paying benefits that will reduce the cost of red tape and make the system more secure from fraud.
	The figures in the table show losses from fraudulent encashment of instruments of payment. These may include losses incurred through transactions at places other than post offices, such as banks and building societies. Figures for instrument of payment fraud prior to 1995/96 cannot be identified separately.
	
		
			 Year Order book losses #m Girocheque losses #m Total instrument of payment losses #m 
		
		
			 1995 to 1996 133.0 17.0 150.0 
			 1996 to 1997 84.0 17.8 101.8 
			 1997 to 1998 98.0 21.0 119.0 
			 1998 to 1999 83.2 19.4 102.6 
			 1999 to 2000 89.4 19.3 108.7 
			 2000 to 2001 58.0 19.2 77.2 
		
	
	Source
	Fraud Strategy Unit

Guide Dogs Charity

Claire Ward: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what support he gives to the Guide Dogs for the Blind charity.

Maria Eagle: We fund voluntary and charitable organisations only to deliver specific projects or services. Guide Dogs for the Blind does not provide any specific projects or services for the Department for Work and Pensions.
	The Department does work in partnership with a range of charitable and voluntary organisations to break down barriers and improve service delivery.

Housing Benefit Reforms

Archy Kirkwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will place in the Library the local reference rents for each size of property in each locality of each of the local authorities invited to be a pathfinder in the housing benefit reforms.

Malcolm Wicks: The information requested is not collected centrally. With the introduction of the standard local housing allowance, each pathfinder authority will publish in advance the rates that will payable under the scheme.

National Insurance Recording System 2

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many (a) retirement pension, (b) widow's benefit, (c) bereavement benefit, (d) incapacity benefit and (e) jobseeker's allowance cases are awaiting a review triggered by a national insurance recording system 2 (NIRS2) calculation.

Malcolm Wicks: holding answer 25 November 2002
	I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 7 November 2002, Official Report, columns 642–44W.

NIRS2

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  how many people (a) were asked to repay and (b) repaid overpayments triggered by the NIRS2 computer system;
	(2)  how much people repaid (a) in total and (b) on average, following a request for a repayment resulting from an overpayment triggered by the NIRS2 computer system.

Malcolm Wicks: holding answer 25 November 2002
	The information is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Pensions

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps he plans to take to ensure that people have confidence in the pensions they are investing in.

Ian McCartney: It is clearly important that individuals have confidence in the long term stability of the pension system. We are publishing a Green Paper on pensions on 17 December that will look at pensions policy in the round. It will make a range of proposals to encourage more pensions saving and to balance the competing issues in pensions policy. The proposals will be designed for the long-term, as people need to be able to plan and make decisions for the future.

Personal Information (Restricted Access)

Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement on his policy on restricting access by staff to personal information held by his Department and its agencies in cases where victims of violence have changed their names and addresses.

Ian McCartney: It is the policy of the Department for Work and Pensions to ensure that all personal information held by the Department is afforded protection in accordance with legislative requirements and good practice.
	Access by staff to any personal information is restricted to that needed for the proper conduct of the Department's business. On-line activity is subject to random management checking and full audit trails are maintained.
	Additional protection is provided and access further restricted for cases assessed to be at serious risk. In this case all access to a record is blocked unless specifically authorised by management and all attempts at access are monitored.
	The Department takes a very serious view of any unauthorised disclosures being made from its records and disciplinary action, including dismissal and prosecution, will be taken against anyone making an unauthorised disclose of customer information to a third party or casually browsing the Department's records.

Personal Information (Restricted Access)

Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what guidance he has issued to his Department and its agencies concerning restricting access by staff to personal information held in cases where victims of violence have changed their names and addresses.

Ian McCartney: Department for Work and Pensions staff with access to customer information are made aware of their responsibilities for the security and protection of customer information during induction training. This is reinforced through various publications and regular security bulletins and awareness sessions. Comprehensive supporting guidance is also available in both paper and electronic form.

Post Office Benefit Payments

Tony Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what his Department is doing to encourage those who wish to have their benefits paid through the post office.

Malcolm Wicks: We are providing customers with information (including letters and leaflets) which clearly sets out the account options as part of the move to direct payment. Customers can choose the bank or building society account (including the post office card account) which best suits their needs and circumstances. The information material sets out the key features of the various accounts and explains how people can access their money at the post office, if they wish to do so.

Post Office Card Account

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what measures he is taking to promote the take-up of the Post Office Card account as part of the migration to automated credit transfer.

Malcolm Wicks: DWP is providing customers with information (including letters and leaflets) which clearly sets out the account options as part of the move to payment direct into accounts. Customers can choose the bank or building society account (including the Post Office card account) which best suits their needs and circumstances. The information material sets out the key features of the various accounts.

Poverty

Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many (a) people over retirement age, (b) children, (c) women, (d) members of ethnic minorities and (e) others in the Wycombe constituency lived below the poverty line in each of the past five years.

Malcolm Wicks: The requested information is not available. Poverty and social exclusion are complex and multi-dimensional problems, which affect many aspects of people's lives. They cannot be measured using a single indicator. Our long-term strategy to tackle the underlying causes of poverty is set out in our recently published XOpportunity for all—fourth annual report", which provides detailed analysis on a range of indicators of poverty and social exclusion. Unfortunately, not all indicators can be broken down to the constituency level—due to sample size limitations. The National Statistics website, www.statistics.gov.uk, provides a comprehensive source of information that is available at the constituency level.

Social Fund

David Cameron: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what plans he has to reform the Social Fund; and if he will make a statement.

Malcolm Wicks: The Social Fund plays an important role in our agenda for tackling poverty and social exclusion by providing people on low incomes with grants and interest-free loans to help them manage a wide range of unexpected or occasional costs.
	We have introduced a number of important changes to the Social Fund since 1997, including a simpler and more transparent claims process. In the PBR, we announced that from April 2003, #90 million will be added to the discretionary Fund over the three years to 2005–06. Also from next April, a further #15 million will be available for the funeral payment scheme, increasing the amount allowed for unspecified funeral expenses from #600 to #700. This extra investment will bring the total amount of cash available through the Social Fund to around 900 #million and enhance the Fund's ability to help people on low incomes manage their finances.
	We also aim to improve the administration of the Social Fund and have announced that further work on this will be taken forward in conjunction with the Treasury.

Statistics (Privileged Access)

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will list the series of statistics to which his Department has privileged access prior to publication.

Ian McCartney: We have pre-release access to statistical series produced within the department and to the following National Statistics released by other government departments:
	Labour Market Statistics (Office for National Statistics)
	Low Pay (Office for National Statistics)
	New Earnings Survey (Office for National Statistics)
	Work and Worklessness (Office for National Statistics)
	Individual Incomes (Department for Trade and Industry)
	The Department was also given early access to the 2001 population census results. On some occasions the Department has had access to the redistribution of income series produced by the Office for National Statistics. It may also be involved in quality assurance of statistical series produced by other departments before they are finalised and published.

Sure Start Maternity Grant

John Battle: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many (a) couple families with children and (b) one parent families he estimates will be passported to the Sure Start maternity grant in Leeds West, under the new tax credit scheme.

Malcolm Wicks: Information on eligibility for Sure Start Maternity Grants by family type is not available, either at local or national level.
	From April 2003, Sure Start Maternity Grants will be available to families in receipt of Child Tax Credit at a rate greater than the family element (#545/year or #1090 for families with a child under the age of one), or Working Tax Credit where a disabled worker is included in the assessment.
	It is estimated that nationally there will be around 250,000 awards of Sure Start Maternity Grants in 2003–04 under the new rules. This compares with 201,000 in 2001–02. Around 25,000 of the additional successful claims will be due to the link to the new tax credits.

Victims of Crime

Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for the Home Department concerning the protection of new identities of victims of crime.

Ian McCartney: While there have been no recent discussions between the two Departments, arrangements do exist for additional protection to be applied to the records, held by the Department for Work and Pensions, of certain individuals at risk when requested by the Home Office.
	Requests for additional protection from individuals at particular risk are also considered.

Winter Fuel Payment

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate how many people became newly entitled for the 2002–03 winter fuel payment and who needed to make a claim before 20 September in order to receive their payment before Christmas but failed to do so; and what the value was of such payments.

Ian McCartney: We estimate that for winter 2002–03, there could be around 500,000 people newly entitled to a winter fuel payment. Some 250,000 of these are being paid automatically but others, who are not in receipt of certain benefits, will need to claim.
	By 20 September 2002, around 170,000 claim forms had been received, although some of these may have been from people entitled to an automatic payment. By the end of November, about a further 35,000 claims had been received.
	It is not possible to provide a reliable estimate of the value of unclaimed winter fuel payments because the amount due depends on the composition of the household. It is up to an individual, where a claim is necessary, to decide whether or not to make that claim.

Winter Fuel Payment

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate how many single (a) women and (b) men in 2002 will reach the age of 60 years after the qualifying week for winter fuel payment eligibility, but before 25 December.

Ian McCartney: It is estimated that around 18,000 single women will attain the age of 60 after the qualifying week (16 to 22 September) and before 25 December 2002 in Great Britain.
	It is estimated that around 13,000 single men will attain the age of 60 after the qualifying week (16 to 22 September) and before 25 December 2002 in Great Britain.
	Note:
	The figures have been calculated using the latest GAD population projections and the Family Resources Survey.

CABINET OFFICE

Appointments

Andrew Turner: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office to which bodies the Cabinet Office makes appointments; how many members there are (a) in total and (b) in each body; and how many of those appointed are (i) businessmen, (ii) businessmen in SMEs and (iii) businessmen in micro-businesses.

Douglas Alexander: The Cabinet Office has published information on public bodies and appointments to them in XPublic Bodies 2001". Copies of this publication may be found in the House Libraries. It gives details on the number of members in total, for each body and a breakdown by gender.
	There is no requirement to collect data and analyse how many of the appointees are businessmen and of different sized businesses. This information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Better Regulation Task Force

Mark Prisk: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many times the Better Regulation Task Force has met in the last year; what allowances from public funds are made available to members of the Better Regulation Task Force; and what the cost has been since the task force was established.

Douglas Alexander: There were 10 meetings of the Better Regulation Task Force during the past year. Members of the task force are unpaid, but can claim reasonable travel and subsistence expenses. Before July 1999, when a dedicated support team was established, the administrative costs for the task force were met from within the budget of the Regulatory Impact Unit (and its predecessor) in the Cabinet Office. It is not possible to identify the specific costs within this overall budget. But over the period from July 1999 to the end of November 2002, the administrative and running costs of the task force, covering staff salaries, printing and publication costs etc., have totalled approximately #1,422,000.

Civil Servants and Spending

Chris Ruane: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many civil servants are employed by his Department; and how much money was spent by his Department in the last 12 months, broken down by local authority area.

Douglas Alexander: The data are not available in the format requested, except at disproportionate cost. Data for the number of civil servants in the major Departments are published in Table D of Civil Service Statistics, copies of which are laid in the Libraries of both Houses. The latest information, for April 2001, was published in June this year. The remaining information is available for the Government Office Regions of Great Britain.

Ministerial Engagements

Andrew Turner: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many engagements were undertaken outside London (a) by him or his predecessor and (b) by Ministers in the Cabinet Office in January (i) 2000, (ii) 2001 and (iii) 2002.

Douglas Alexander: Since 1999 this Government have published an annual list of all visits overseas undertaken by Cabinet Ministers costing #500 or more during each financial year. The Government have also published on an annual basis the cost of all Ministers' visits overseas. Copies of the lists are available in the Libraries of the House.
	Detailed information requested in respect of UK travel is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	All travel is undertaken fully in accordance with the rules set out in the Ministerial Code and Travel by Ministers, copies of which are available in the Libraries of the House.

Panel for Regulatory Accountability

Mark Prisk: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many times the Panel for Regulatory Accountability has met in the last year; what allowances from public funds are made available to members of the Panel for Regulatory Accountability; and what the cost was in each year since 1997.

Douglas Alexander: The panel has been a Cabinet Committee since July 2001. It is established practice under Exemption 2 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information that information relating to the proceedings of Cabinet Committee business is not disclosed.
	Prior to this, no allowances from public funds were made available to members of the panel in relation to their membership.

Panel for Regulatory Accountability

Mark Prisk: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many regulatory reform orders have been made since the Regulatory Reform Act 2001 came into force; how many regulatory reform orders are before Parliament; and how many proposed regulatory reform orders were out to public consultation on 1 December.

Douglas Alexander: Since the Regulatory Reform Act came into force in April 2001 we have made six regulatory reform orders (RROs) . There are a further seven RROs undergoing parliamentary scrutiny. On 1 December there were no proposed RROs out for consultation, but consultation had just ended on four RROs.

Panel for Regulatory Accountability

Mark Prisk: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what estimate his Department has made of the total savings to business as a result of regulatory reform orders made to date; and what estimate his Department has made of the potential savings to business of (a) regulatory reform orders before Parliament and (b) proposed regulatory reform orders out to public consultation on 1 December.

Douglas Alexander: The Regulatory Reform Action Plan, which was published in February 2002, listed 268 items, of which 63 were potential Regulatory Reform Orders (RROs), 160 related to business. No total estimate of savings has been made. All Regulatory Reform Orders have to be accompanied by a full Regulatory Impact Assessment, setting out the costs and benefits. Departments have been asked to make these available to the House of Commons Library and on departmental websites.

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

Air Quality

Andrew Murrison: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what recent assessment he has made of air quality standards in market towns.

Alun Michael: I have been asked to reply.
	Air quality in the UK is monitored through the national air quality monitoring networks, which comprise over 1,500 automatic and non-automatic monitoring sites. Many of these monitoring sites are situated in small towns. Historic and current levels of air pollution at all of these sites can be checked via the National Air Quality Information Archive at www.airquality.co.uk For some sites, this information is updated on an hourly basis. For others, the information is updated on a monthly or quarterly basis, depending on the type of site.
	In addition to this, local authorities carry out their own reviews and assessments of air quality in their areas, in order to identify any pollution hotspots. Several authorities have identified potentially elevated levels of air pollution in small towns, particularly alongside congested streets. In these cases, authorities are required to designate air quality management areas and to draw up action plans setting out what they intend to do to remedy the situation. Details of all the air quality management areas designated by local authorities to date, together with information on their action plans where available, can be found via the local air quality management section of the National Air Quality Information Archive (www.airquality.co.uk).

Council Tax

Annette Brooke: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will estimate the cumulative percentage increase in the council tax for a Band D property in each billing local authority in England since 1996.

Christopher Leslie: A table setting out the cumulative percentage increase in real terms in area council tax for a Band D properly in each billing local authority in England since 1996 has been placed in the Library.

East Lancashire

Nigel Evans: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many times he has visited East Lancashire in his official capacity; and what the purpose was of each visit.

John Prescott: I have visited East Lancashire twice since June 2001. Both visits were related to community cohesion, housing and neighbourhood renewal following the disturbances in June 2001. I plan to return following an invitation from my hon. Friend the Member for Burnley (Mr. Pike).

Fire Service

John McDonnell: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the Government's plans to publish a fire cover review.

Nick Raynsford: The fire cover review task group agreed the text of its final report at the end of September 2002. The central fire brigades advisory council will consider the report at a future meeting. If the council endorses the report, it will be published.

Firefighters

James Paice: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister, 
	(1)  pursuant to his answer of 9 December 2002, Official Report, column 130W, if the proposals for retained firefighters' pay as described in the Fire Employers statement of 13 November would enable individual retained firefighters to assess the impact of their proposals on their own annual income;
	(2)  pursuant to his answer of 9 December 2002, Official Report, column 130W, if he will provide the calculations and assumptions from which he derived the typical increase for retained firefighters being 6.4 per cent. more than wholetime firefighters;
	(3)  how many hours per annum he estimates (a) a Leading Retained Firefighter and (b) a Retained Firefighter of two years' service would need to work at the hourly rates detailed in the Fire Employers' Statement of 13 November in order to compensate for the combined effects of the alterations to the Annual Retaining Fee, the Turn-out fee and the Attendance fee detailed in the same statement.

Nick Raynsford: The local government employers have informed the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister officials that they calculated this figure on the basis that, under the deal outlined in the Fire Brigades Employers Circular of 12 November:
	The Retained hourly rate would have been equal to the wholetime hourly rate
	The Retaining Fee would have been 10 per cent. of the wholetime annual rate
	The Turn-out fee would have been 1.25 per cent. of the wholetime hourly rate
	The Attendance fee would have been 0.75 per cent. of the wholetime hourly rate
	But under the deal the current Turn-out fee of #13.93 would have been frozen, until the Turn-out fee calculated on the new basis reached this level.
	The local government employers have informed the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister officials that under this deal the pay of wholetime firefighters would have risen; and any increases in wholetime rates would have raised retained rates, because they would have been linked.
	The local government employers have also informed Office of the Deputy Prime Minister officials that this would have led to the typical increase for retained firefighters being 6.4 per cent. more than that for wholetime firefighters. The Fire Brigades Union rejected this deal.
	The information which the local government employers have supplied to the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister officials, as described, should allow individual retained firefighters to assess the impact of the proposals on their own annual income. Ultimately, however, it is dependent on the individual retained firefighter's workload.

Homeless People

Paul Marsden: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what proportion of homeless people have suffered from (a) physical assault and (b) mental abuse whilst living on the streets since 1997.

Barbara Roche: The information requested is not collected centrally and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

Housing

Oona King: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister 
	(1)  if he will commission research into the causes, extent and possible solutions to household overcrowding in the United Kingdom;
	(2)  what measures he plans to bring forward to address changes in the number of households who are two or more bedrooms below the bedroom standard.

Tony McNulty: Information on the extent of overcrowding in England is available from the Survey of English Housing. As mentioned in the reply given to my hon. Friend on 7 November 2002, Official Report, column 621W, we are considering whether overcrowding is best tackled through a modern set of standards—updating the present legislative framework or through the new Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS), which we hope to introduce as a replacement for the housing fitness standard when parliamentary time allows. Our consideration of options will take account of our understanding of the underlying causes of household overcrowding.

Housing

Oona King: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister 
	(1)  how many households in each Government Office region have been shown by the Survey of English Housing 2001–02 to be two or more bedrooms below the bedroom standard (a) in total and (b) in the private rented sector;
	(2)  how many households are three or more bedrooms below the bedroom standard; and if he will make a statement.

Tony McNulty: The number of households three or more bedrooms below the bedroom standard is extremely small which means that any estimate from a sample survey will be subject to a very wide margin of error. The best estimate from Survey of English Housing data, averaged over the last three years (1999–2000, 2000–01, 2001–02) is 4,000 households out of more than 20 million households.
	The number of households in each Government Office region two or more bedrooms below the bedroom standard, estimated from Survey of English Housing data and averaged over the last three years, is shown in the table.
	
		Households in England: difference from bedroom standard(17) by tenure (average 1999–2000, 2000–01, 2001–02) -- thousands
		
			  Owner occupied Social rented Privately rented All tenures  
			  1 below Equal or below Total 2 or more below 1 below Equal or above Total 2 or more below 1 below Equal or above Total 2 or more below 1 below Equal or above Total 
		
		
			  Government Office region  
			 North East 8 673 681 1 7 332 340 0 2 73 75 1 17 1,078 1,096 
			 North West 29 1,953 1,985 2 22 577 601 1 5 234 239 6 56 2,763 2,825 
			 Yorks and Humber 15 1,393 1,411 1 14 471 486 1 8 196 205 4 37 2,060 2,102 
			 East Midlands 14 1,279 1,295 1 10 304 314 0 3 143 146 2 28 1,726 1,756 
			 West Midlands 23 1,501 1,527 1 18 458 477 0 5 148 153 4 47 2,107 2,157 
			 Eastern 14 1,625 1,641 1 15 368 385 1 5 202 208 3 35 2,196 2,234 
			 London 41 1,693 1,739 10 86 702 797 4 25 406 435 19 152 2,801 2,971 
			 South East 21 2,480 2,503 2 24 430 456 0 9 328 338 4 55 3,238 3,298 
			 South West 16 1,517 1,533 1 11 298 310 0 6 219 225 2 32 2,034 2,067 
			 England 182 14,114 14,315 19 208 3,940 4,167 7 69 1,948 2,023 45 458 20,002 20,506 
			 percentages 
			 North East 1.2 98.8 100.0 0.2 2.1 977 100.0 0.0 2.7 97.3 100.0 0.1 1.6 98.3 100.0 
			 North West 1.5 98.4 100.0 0.3 3.7 96.1 100.0 0.2 2.1 97.6 100.0 0.2 2.0 97.8 100.0 
			 Yorks and Humber 1.1 98.7 100.0 0.2 2.8 96.9 100.0 0.4 3.8 95.8 100.0 0.2 1.8 98.0 100.0 
			 East Midlands 1.1 98.8 100.0 0.3 3.2 96.5 100.0 0.0 2.3 97.7 100.0 0.1 1.6 98.3 100.0 
			 West Midlands 1.5 98.3 100.0 0.3 3.8 95.9 100.0 0.3 3.1 96.6 100.0 0.2 2.2 97.6 100.0 
			 Eastern 0.8 99.1 100.0 0.3 4.0 95.7 100.0 0.3 2.6 97.1 100.0 0.1 1.6 98.3 100.0 
			 London 2.3 97.3 100.0 1.2 10.8 88.0 100.0 0.9 5.8 93.3 100.0 0.6 5.1 94.3 100.0 
			 South East 0.9 99.1 100.0 0.4 5.3 94.3 100.0 0.1 2.8 97.1 100.0 0.1 1.7 98.2 100.0 
			 South West 1.0 99.0 100.0 0.3 3.4 96.3 100.0 0.2 2.5 97.3 100.0 0.1 1.5 98.4 100.0 
			 England 1.3 98.6 100.0 0.5 5.0 94.6 100.0 0.3 3.4 96.3 100.0 0.2 2.2 97.5 100.0 
		
	
	(17) Bedroom standard is an indicator of occupation density. A notional number of bedrooms are allocated to each household in accordance with its age/sex/marital status composition and the relationship of the members to each other. This is then compared with the actual number of bedrooms (including bedsitters) available for the sole use of the household.
	Source:
	Survey of England Housing, Office of the Deputy Prime Minister

Inspectors

David Kidney: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what standards of competence he sets for (a) building regulations inspectors and (b) National House-Building Council inspectors.

Christopher Leslie: It is for each local authority with building control responsibilities to decide on the qualifications and experience of officers employed by them on building control duties.
	The National House-Building Council is an independent, non-profit distributing company. Inspectors employed by the NHBC carry out inspections in connection with their Buildmark new home warranty scheme. It is for the NHBC to decide whom to employ for purposes connected with that non-statutory scheme.
	NHBC inspectors also carry out inspections for building control purposes in cases where NHBC's subsidiary, NHBC Building Control Services Ltd, is acting as an approved inspector. Under Part II of the Building Act 1984, a person carrying out regulated building work may engage an approved inspector as an alternative to applying to the local authority building control department.
	Approved inspectors are subject to periodic re-approval by the Construction Industry Council, which is the body designated by the Secretary of State for the purpose of approving inspectors under Part II of the Building Act. The CIC have drawn up criteria for assessing the qualifications and experience of companies and individuals applying or re-applying for the status of approved inspector.

Local Government Finance

Christopher Chope: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will meet a delegation comprising of hon. Members from Dorset and representatives of the county and district councils to discuss the local authority funding settlement for the county.

Nick Raynsford: I would be happy to consider meeting such a delegation, if a representative of the authorities concerned were to write to me setting out the points they wish to raise.

Rough Sleepers

Paul Marsden: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many people he estimates are sleeping rough.

Barbara Roche: As of June 2002, local authority statistics show that around 600 people are sleeping rough on any one night. This represents a reduction of around two-thirds since 1998 when it was estimated that nearly 2,000 people were sleeping rough on any one night.

Sangatte

Michael Portillo: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister whether persons from Sangatte admitted to the UK under special arrangements will be eligible for local authority housing at the end of their period in hotels financed by central Government.

Beverley Hughes: I have been asked to reply.
	Those persons admitted from Sangatte to the United Kingdom under special arrangements are being brought here, not as asylum seekers, but on work visas to contribute and pay taxes. Once they arrive they are being given accommodation while we start the process of training and job matching. We are confident that they will be able to move on to alternative accommodation within three months. In the event of an individual being unable to find their own accommodation they would be eligible to apply for assistance from a local housing authority, but we expect numbers to be small and any burden to be spread across different local authorities.

Sellers' Packs

Lynne Jones: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister when he intends to publish the two further consultation papers on the seller's pack.

Tony McNulty: The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister intends to publish early next year consultation papers on the detailed contents of the seller's pack and the application of seller's packs in areas of lowest property values and demand.

Tax Credits

Michael Foster: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister in the Local Government Finance Report (England) 2003–04 
	(1)  what figure was used for the number of children of claimants of (a) working families tax credit and (b) disabled person's tax credit, used in the calculation of (i) additional needs for primary pupils and (ii) additional needs for secondary pupils, for each local authority;
	(2)  how many pupils (a) of primary school age have a mother tongue that is not English and (b) of secondary school age are in low achieving ethnic groups in each local authority;
	(3)  what figures were used in the calculation of (a) district, (b) environmental protection and (c) cultural services deprivation top-up for each non-metropolitan district council in non-metropolitan areas;
	(4)  what was the average number of dependent children of claimants receiving income support and income-based jobseeker's allowance used in the calculation of (a) additional needs for primary pupils and (b) additional needs for secondary pupils, for each local authority;
	(5)  what figure was used in the calculation of net in-commuters and day visitors of each non-metropolitan district council in non-metropolitan areas.

Christopher Leslie: The figures for the number of children of recipients of working families tax credit and disabled person's tax credit used in the additional education needs for both primary and secondary pupils are from the August 2001, November 2001, February 2002 and May 2002 releases, as published by the Inland Revenue.
	For reasons of confidentiality, data on children of working families tax credit recipients are combined with children of disabled person's tax credit recipients by the Inland Revenue, and are therefore not available separately. The combined figures are used within the provisional Local Government Finance Settlement.
	The same data are used for both (i) additional needs for primary pupils and (ii) additional needs for secondary pupils.
	The total number of working families and disabled person's tax credit recipients, in each authority, together with the other information requested (and all the data used in calculating the provisional Local Government Finance Settlement) are on the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's website within XTable 1" of the data section. http://www.local.odpm.gov.uk/finance/0304/tabs034.htm

HOME DEPARTMENT

Aerosol Spray Paint

Margaret Moran: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures he intends to take to ban sales of aerosol spray paint to children across the UK.

John Denham: The Government take the problem of graffiti very seriously and are examining ways in which it they can reduce the problem. The London Local Authorities Bill, which is currently before Parliament, would clamp down on the sale of spray paints to under 18 year olds within the London area. We are looking carefully at whether we should adopt this approach nationally as part of the Anti-Social Behaviour Bill.

Anti-social Behaviour Orders

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many anti-social behaviour orders have been in force in each month since their introduction.

John Denham: holding answer 9 December 2002
	An anti-social behaviour order (ASBO) is a civil order that has been available to the police and local authorities since April 1999. ASBOs are granted for a minimum period of two years.
	From 1 April 1999 to 31 May 2000, data on the number of ASBOs issued was collected by police force area. From 1 June 2000, official statistics on the number of ASBOs issued are based on quarterly returns from Magistrates' Courts Committees (MCCs).
	Available information in the table shows the number of notifications received by the Home Office of ASBOs issued from 1 April 1999 up to 30 June 2002 (latest available) and by duration of order given since June 2000. We do not collect information on the number of ASBOs in force at any given period, and cannot estimate it reliably from the data in the table.
	We are aware that the numbers of ASBOs made locally have been consistently under reported in returns made by magistrates' courts and are considering how reporting can be improved.
	We are aware that the numbers of ASBOs made locally have been consistently under reported in returns made by magistrates' courts and are considering how reporting can be improved.
	
		Number of anti-social behaviour orders granted, as notified to the Home Office, by duration from 1 April 1999 to 30 June 2002, England and Wales
		
			  2 years 2.25 years 2.5 years 2.75 years 3 years 3.25 years 3.75 years 4 years 5 years and over Until further order Not known Total 
		
		
			 1 April 1999 to 31 May 2000(18) (20)— (20)— (20)— (20)— (20)— (20)— (20)— (20)— (20)— (20)— 104 104 
			 June 2000(19) 9 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 1 0 1 13 
			 July to September 2000 32 0 0 0 6 0 0 1 5 2 4 50 
			 October to December 2000 41 0 0 0 13 0 0 3 6 7 1 71 
			 January to March 2001 48 1 0 0 11 0 0 4 3 7 2 76 
			 April to June 2001 44 0 1 0 .20 0 0 4 14 7 3 93 
			 July to September 2001 27 0 1 1 19 0 1 4 8 3 3 67 
			 October to December 2001 26 1 1 0 14 1 0 1 9 4 0 57 
			 January to March 2002 19 0 2 0 9 1 0 2 12 6 0 51 
			 April to June 2002 28 0 1 0 18 0 0 2 16 7 0 72 
			 Total 274 2 6 1 111 2 1 22 74 43 118 654 
		
	
	(18) Total figures only available from police force areas for period 1 April 1999 to 31 May 2000.
	(19) As from 1 June 2000, data collected centrally by Magistrates' Courts Committee (MCC) area by quarter.
	(20) Not available.

Anti-social Behaviour Orders

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how long on average it takes to introduce an anti-social behaviour order.

John Denham: holding answer 9 December 2002
	A survey of anti-social behaviour order (ASBO) monitoring forms indicated that the court process was taking on average 13 weeks. To improve the effectiveness of ASBOs and reduce delays, legislative changes have been made under the Police Reform Act 2002 and new guidance published. Courts may now make an interim order to protect the community from the start of the court process, and criminal courts may make orders on conviction, thereby avoiding the need for a separate court process and making better use of court time. In addition, orders may now also cover a wider area, and from 1 April 2003, county courts will be able to make orders when dealing with other civil action.
	We will continue to review implementation of these orders with a view to considering whether they can be further streamlined.

Asylum Seekers

Tim Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to provide temporary accommodation for asylum seekers within the Daventry district; and if he will make a statement.

Beverley Hughes: Daventry is not currently a dispersal area for asylum seekers who need accommodation. Asylum seekers without accommodation will be provided with emergency accommodation while their application for support is assessed. The National Asylum Support Service (NASS) does not have any current plans to use Daventry as either a dispersal area or for the emergency accommodation of asylum seekers.
	Urgent accommodation has had to be found to cater for the arrivals from Sangatte. As part of this exercise NASS did consider a site (the Landmark hotel) in the Daventry district. In the event a decision was taken not to use the site for this or any other purpose at this time.
	NASS needs to keep its accommodation needs under continual review. While I cannot say that the area will never be used to accommodate asylum seekers I can say that we have no present plans to do so.

Asylum Seekers

Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make it a policy of the Government to require all asylum seekers to comply with a medical examination; and if he will make a statement.

Beverley Hughes: We do not believe that it is necessary to require all asylum seekers to undergo a medical examination as a matter of policy although development of the new policy initiatives introduced by the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act will effectively introduce screening to all those who attend an induction centre.
	Once they are fully operational we intend that all new asylum applicants who go to an induction centre on arrival will undergo basic health screening. A pilot screening programme started at the Dover induction centre this summer. The evaluation of this pilot has not yet been completed. Immigration officers are obliged, under the terms of the immigration rules, to refer for medical examination anyone who mentions health or medical treatment as a reason for coming to the United Kingdom or who appears not to be in good physical or mental health. Furthermore those seeking leave to enter the United Kingdom for a period of more than six months should normally be referred.

Asylum Seekers (Support)

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the number of applicants per week who, from 8 January 2003, will no longer be eligible for support as a result of section 55 of the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002; what steps he will take to monitor the number of in-country asylum applicants refused National Asylum Support Service assistance as a result of section 55 of the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002, whose claim for asylum is subsequently refused on the grounds of non-compliance; and if he will make a statement.

Beverley Hughes: holding answer 10 December 2002
	Based on an analysis of recent intake it is estimated that, from 8 January 2003, 700 applicants per week (ie an average of about 100 per day) would fall into the category of people who could no longer be eligible for support as a result of section 55 of the Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002 (the 2002 Act) unless they could show that they had made their asylum application as soon as reasonably practicable after entering the United Kingdom.
	From 8 January 2003, there will be detailed internal monitoring of the numbers refused National Asylum Support Service support as a result of section 55 of the 2002 Act. This information will be used to track each case through to service of the initial decision on the asylum application and to monitor the number subsequently refused on the grounds of non-compliance.

Child Safety Orders

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many child safety orders have been in place in each month since their introduction.

John Denham: holding answer 9 December 2002
	Two child safety orders were issued in the areas in which they were piloted between September 1998 and June 2000.

Child Curfew Schemes

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many local child curfew schemes were in force in each month between (a) October 1998 and July 2001 and (b) August 2001 and the latest month for which figures are available.

John Denham: holding answer 9 December 2002
	No applications have yet been received to establish a local child curfew scheme under section 14 of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998. Some local authorities and police forces have considered the possibility, but concluded that other measures should be taken to tackle relevant local problems.

Class A Drugs (Teenagers)

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many teenagers have tried class A drugs in (a) the United Kingdom, (b) the north-east of England and (c) the constituency of Middlesbrough, South and Cleveland, East.

Bob Ainsworth: The 2001–02 British Crime Survey estimates that 11 per cent. of 16 to 19 year-olds in England and Wales have tried a class A drug. The equivalent estimate for the north-east of England is 14 per cent. The difference between theEngland and Wales estimate and the north-east estimate is not statistically significant. These data are not available at constituency level.
	The drug use, smoking and drinking among young people in England in 2001 survey estimates that six per cent. of school children aged between 11 and 15 years old have tried a class A drug. No geographical breakdown is available for this age group.

Community Beat Officers

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many community beat officers are working in the London Borough of Wandsworth.

John Denham: This information is not collected centrally.

Community Support Officers

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many local authorities contributed to the cost of recruiting, training and equipping local neighbourhood special constables for duty in their area in each year since section 2 of the Police Act 1996 came into operation.

John Denham: holding answer 12 December 2002
	This information is not collected centrally.

Correspondence

Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  when he intends to reply to the letter forwarded to him, dated 17 October 2002, from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Mr. Burham Fajax;
	(2)  when he intends to reply to the letter to him, dated 17 October 2002, from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Mr. Burham Fatah.

Beverley Hughes: I wrote to my right hon. Friend on 13 December 2002.

Correspondence

David Winnick: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will reply to the letter from the hon. Member for Walsall, North of 28 October regarding a constituent, ref. 22821/2.

Beverley Hughes: holding answer 12 December 2002
	My noble Friend (Lord Filkin), wrote to my right hon. Friend on 11 December 2002.

Correspondence

Marion Roe: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the hon. Member for Broxbourne will receive a reply to her letters of 14 August, 11 September, 7 November and 5 December relating to her constituent, Mr. Mohamed Mady.

Beverley Hughes: I wrote to the hon. Member on 16 December 2002.

County Support Officers

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  if county support officers will be issued with (a) body armour, (b) radios and (c) other forms of officer safety equipment; if they will undergo (i) officer safety training and (ii) first aid training; who will supervise the CSOs; whether additional training in supervision will be provided to officers assuming this responsibility; who will complete CSO annual appraisals; if they will form part of the service PDRs; who will be responsible for CSO professional development; and who will be required to check and monitor reports generated by the CSOs;
	(2)  if there will be a facility for the services of a county support officer to be dispensed with if the required standards are not achieved; if there will be grading within the CSO infrastructure; who will be responsible for CSO complaints and discipline; what arrangements have been made for CSO transport; if the CSOs will have their own drivers; and who will deal with administration in connection with CSOs;
	(3)  who will brief and de-brief county support officers; if they will be posted operationally with police officers; who will be assuming responsibility for discharging a duty of care towards CSOs; what impact he estimates additional supervision will have on (a) sergeants and inspectors; where CSOs will be based; what educational standards are necessary for recruitment to CSO recruitment; what medical and health standards are required; if CSOs will be required to attain a set level of fitness; what the requirements are with respect to previous convictions; what the content is of the CSO training programme; who will be delivering the CSO training; where it will be delivered; and if he will make a statement.

John Denham: Chief officers can designate persons employed by their police authority as Community Support Officers (CSOs) under section 38 of the Police Reform Act 2002 when they are satisfied that the person is a suitable person to effectively carry out the functions for the purposes of which he is designated and that he has received adequate training in the carrying out of those functions. Issues such as the deployment, equipment, and supervision arrangements for CSOs are operational matters and are determined by chief officers with knowledge of the local areas where they will deploy CSOs. A chief officer can also remove a designation if he considers that the conditions for designation are no longer met.
	CSOs are a new addition to the extended policing family. We are aiming to have 1,200 CSOs deployed nationally in 27 forces by 1 April 2003. Once the lessons from the deployment of the first batches of CSOs become clear the Secretary of State, following consultation with the Association of Police Authorities and the Association of Chief Police Officers, will issue a Code of Practice under section 45 of the Police Reform Act to which chief officers must have regard, to set out good practice in relation to some of these matters.

Crime (Cleveland)

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will place in the Library the crime statistics for the area covered by the Cleveland police in each of the last five years.

John Denham: Numbers of crimes recorded by the police, broken down by police force, are published annually. Details for the years from 1997 to 2000–01 have been published in successive editions of XCriminal Statistics England and Wales", which are available in the Library. The figures for 2001–02 have been included in a new publication, XCrime in England and Wales 2001–02" (Home Office Statistical Bulletin 7/02), which was published in July this year, and which is also available in the Library.

Crime (Teesside)

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what Government initiatives have been put in place in Teesside to bring down crime.

John Denham: A total of #3,404,361 is being provided to Teesside Crime Reduction Partnerships for crime reduction initiatives in Hartlepool, Middlesbrough, Stockton, Redcar and Cleveland during 2002–03.
	Crime reduction initiatives which are currently being taken forward are the Safer Communities Initiative (#231,204), Closed Circuit Television (#782,650), Small Retailers in Deprived Areas (#120,000), Reducing Domestic Violence (#389,385), Street Wardens Initiative (#712,712), Neighbourhood Wardens Initiative (#376,550), Communities Against Drugs (#611,300), Reducing Burglary Initiative (#248,300) and Partnership Development Fund (#188,560). In addition, there are two New Deal for Communities areas at Middlesbrough and Hartlepool, each spending over six million on crime reduction initiatives over the lifetime of the scheme. Cleveland Police have also received #300,000 for 2002–03 to fund 40 Community Support Officers.

Departmental Offices

Joan Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what timber has been used at the construction site of the new Home Office building at 2 Marsham Street; who supplied this timber; and what evidence the supplier gave that it came from legal and sustainable sources.

Beverley Hughes: As the former towers are still being demolished no construction works have so far been undertaken on the Home Office's new building at 2 Marsham Street. Foundation works are scheduled to start in December.
	While the timing of timber purchases is not yet known the contract management arrangements will provide information to the Department about what timber has been purchased and to ensure that it is sourced from suppliers in a legal and sustainable way.

Drug-related Crime (Teesside)

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of crime in Teesside is deemed to be drug-related.

Bob Ainsworth: Recorded crime figures include statistics on drugs offences, such as possession, and on acquisitive crimes, such as burglary, but do not record whether the latter are related to an offender's drug habits.
	However, the New English and Welsh Arrestee Drug Abuse Monitoring (NEW-ADAM) research programme, which involves interviewing and drug testing those arrested by the police, confirms a link between drug misuse and crime, although the conclusions do not relate specifically to Teesside. Analysis of the data from the first eight sites in the survey, collected during 1999–2000, shows that 65 per cent. of arrestees provided a urine sample that tested positive for one or more illegal drug. The analysis also shows that up to 29 per cent. of arrestees tested positive for opiates (including heroin) and/or cocaine (including crack).
	As a guide to the proportion of crime that is drug-related, analysis of the NEW-ADAM self-report data indicates that while only 21 per cent. of non-drug using arrestees reporting having previously offended in the past 12 months, this figure rises to 75 per cent. for those arrestees who use heroin and/or cocaine/crack. Moreover, while users of both heroin and cocaine/crack represented just under one quarter of all arrestees interviewed, they were responsible for more than three-fifths of all the illegal income reported.
	In support of this, 55 per cent. of arrestees who reported using one or more drugs in the last 12 months and committing one of more acquisitive crimes, acknowledged a link between their drug use and their offending behaviour. This proportion rose to 78 per cent. for arrestees who said they had used heroin and cocaine/crack.

Family Support Grant

Jack Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much money his Department has allocated to awards for family support grant; under what headings applications are being considered; how much funding is allocated under each heading; and if he will make a statement.

Beverley Hughes: The Family Support Grant is currently worth a total of #5.8 million a year. The Home Office has allocated up to #1.265 million to make new awards under the Family Support Grant starting in 2003–04. As in previous years there are three strands.
	The first strand is for national, regional or local voluntary organisations seeking to deliver innovative projects for parenting support—#440,000 has been allocated.
	The second strand is for national, regional or local voluntary organisations wishing to further develop and replicate previously successfully completed Family Support Grant funded work. It must focus on either fathering and/or parenting teenagers as funded in the first or second Family Support Grant rounds (1999–2000 and 2000–2001). #440,000 has been allocated.
	The third strand is for voluntary organisations for work with black and minority ethnic parents specifically to help them with their parenting skills. To be eligible the work must focus either on supporting refugee parents with their parenting and/or supporting parents who are struggling with parenting their teenagers. #385,000 has been allocated. In addition, up to #55,000 will be available to provide extra support to the newly funded organisations given that they are likely to be less experienced than those applying for the other two strands, and to enable shared learning.
	Each grant is worth up to #55,000 per annum for up to three years. This is a rise from the previous annual maximum of #50,000.
	The closing date for applications was 10 December. These are still being processed but there are approximately 300 applications, with the majority applying under the first and third strands. Decisions will be announced no later than mid March 2003 and if it is possible to notify applicants any earlier this will be done.
	The Family Support Grant also give score funding to Parentline Plus for its helpline; to the National Family Parenting Institute and to Home Start.
	The balance is for continuation funding for those organisations funded from the previous two rounds.

Fireworks

Ross Cranston: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the anti-social behaviour associated with fireworks around 5 November this year.

John Denham: holding answer 5 December 2002
	We are concerned about the nuisance and noise associated with fireworks. We have set up a monitoring exercise involving nine Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnerships (CDRPs) to focus on best practice and to identify clearly the number and scale of the problem caused. This commenced on 23 October and will run until 15 January in order to take into account 5 November, New Year and other festivals. At the end of the exercise we will analyse the findings and place the results in the Library.

Hard Case Support

Louise Ellman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications he has received for hard case support over the last year; and how many have been successful.

Beverley Hughes: The information requested is not available.

Hornchurch

John Cryer: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will set out, including statistical information relating as directly as possible to the constituency, the effect on the Hornchurch constituency of his Department's policies and actions since 2 May 1997.

John Denham: Detailed information on the impact of Home Office policies across the full range of responsibilities is set out in Home Office annual reports. A copy of the most recent report, Home Office Annual Report 2001–2002, is available in the Library. Information on recorded crime and policing is also published.
	The impact of Home Office policies and actions is not normally examined by constituency and the statistics which the Department collects cannot be matched in the way requested although set out are examples relating to the Hornchurch constituency or the immediate locality, as follows:
	Hornchurch benefits from projects which cover the wider area of Havering. The Havering Drugs Action Team is receiving #566,000 this year from a combined Home Office and Department of Health fund to develop and extend local drug treatment services. These funds will rise to #924,000 by 2005–06. Separately the current XDon't Buy Crime" campaign is raising awareness about purchasing stolen goods. This is part of the Home Office's XSafer Communities Initiative" under which #72,565 has been allocated to Havering for 2002–03.
	One recent initiative specifically affected Hornchurch: a London Regional Transport close circuit television (CCTV) scheme called the XHewkeye Project", in which CCTV cameras and associated equipment provided coverage of a station car park. The project was a joint venture involving London Regional Transport, the British Transport Police and local partnerships. Forty-six other car parks in the London region also benefited from the scheme. The package is intended to reduce incidences of motor vehicle crime and the fear of crime for car park users and passengers.
	Essex was one of 27 police forces which successfully bid for funding for community support officers and in the year ending 31 March 2002 the Metropolitan Police Force strength had increased by over 1,300 officers compared with the previous 12 months.
	More generally, all of the policies of the Home Office will impact on the residents of Hornchurch to a greater or lesser extent. For example:
	The level of Class A drug abuse by under 25-year-olds has stabilised and we are increasing the emphasis on treatment as a response to drug abuse generally;
	The interim target of 60 per cent. of all asylum applications being decided within two months has been met;
	Vehicle crime is down 8.8 per cent. from levels in 1998–09.
	There have been no escapes by Category A prisoners since 1995.
	Information on the Home Office and its policies is also published on its website www.homeoffice.gov.uk

Immigration

Michael Portillo: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons will be admitted to the UK under the special arrangements covering people previously accommodated at Sangatte.

Beverley Hughes: 1,018 people have been brought to the United Kingdom under these arrangements and Sangatte is now empty.

Immigration

Michael Portillo: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many work permits (a) have been and (b) will be issued to persons formerly accommodated at Sangatte and admitted to the UK under the recently negotiated special arrangements.

Beverley Hughes: Iraqis from Sangatte have been given a visa which permits them to work; 899 of these visas had been issued.

Iraqi Asylum Seekers

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what account he has taken of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office document XSaddam Hussein: Crimes and human rights abuses" in determining asylum applications from Iraqis; how many Iraqis await determination of their applications; what the (a) current average wait and (b) 20 longest waits for determination for present Iraqi asylum seekers; how many such asylum seekers are (i) in jail and (ii) in detention; how long each one has been there; whether he plans to change his Department's policy as a consequence of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office report; and if he will make a statement.

Beverley Hughes: As with all asylum applications, Iraqi cases are considered on their individual merits under the terms of the 1951 UN Convention, and in the light of up to date information from a wide variety of sources, including information from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.
	We continue to monitor events in Iraq closely. We will keep under review our handling of asylum applications in light of any changes in country conditions.
	Information on how many Iraqis are awaiting determination of their asylum applications, and the length of time they have been outstanding, is only available by examination of individual case files at disproportionate cost.
	Published statistics on immigration detention are issued on a quarterly basis. The latest available data on asylum seekers held in detention in the United Kingdom solely under Immigration Act powers are for 28 September 2002 and are as follows:
	
		Iraqi asylum seekers held solely under Immigration Act powers on 28 September 2002
		
			 By place of detention  
		
		
			 Removal centres/immigration short term holding facilities 10 
			 Prison Service establishments 5 
			 Total 10 
			   
			 By length of detention  
			 Less than 1 month 10 
			 Between 1 and 6 months 5 
			 Total 10 
		
	
	Notes:
	Figures are rounded to the nearest five with * denoting 1 or 2. Figures may not sum due to rounding.
	1. Persons detained solely under Immigration Act powers who are recorded as having sought asylum at some stage.
	2. Length of detention information relates to current period of detention; where persons have been transferred to and subsequently from Oakington Reception Centre, excludes time in detention prior to the transfer from Oakington.

Justice and Home Affairs Council

Jimmy Hood: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the outcome was of the Justice and Home Affairs Council held in Brussels on 28 and 29 November; what the Government's stance was on the issues discussed, including its voting record; and if he will make a statement.

Bob Ainsworth: My hon. Friend (Lord Filkin) and the noble Baroness Scotland of Asthal represented the United Kingdom at the Justice and Home Affairs (JHA) Council in Brussels on 28–29 November.
	The A points were approved as in document PTS A 62 (14754/02) (a copy of which has been placed in the Library) with the exception of item 16. Ministers signed the Protocol to the Europol Convention agreed at item 4.
	The presidency advised on progress in implementing the Seville European Council conclusions, presenting a report on action taken to combat illegal immigration and human trafficking and on management of the external border. Member states urged the Commission to produce its overdue report on financial resources for repatriation, border management and migration projects. The Commission explained that the financial resources had to come from the current financial perspective, which required re-evaluation of existing commitments within the JHA and External Relations budgets, but that national expenditure would need to remain a significant source of funding.
	The Council adopted negotiating mandates for the Commission to pursue readmission agreements with Turkey, Albania, Algeria and China. The aim will be to agree arrangements with those countries for the return of their nationals who have entered the EU illegally. Over lunch, Ministers also discussed the application of the readmission provision in the Cotonou agreement. This would allow member states to approach African Caribbean and Pacific areas countries bilaterally to ask them to take back their nationals.
	The Council discussed the time limits to be applied for determining responsibility for an asylum claim in the regulation establishing the criteria and mechanisms for determining the member state responsible for examining an asylum application lodged in one of the member states by a third-country national (Dublin II). The presidency concluded that member states would have one week in which to accept or reject a compromise package comprising a time limit of one year for responsibility on the basis of illegal entry across the external frontier and five months for tolerated illegal presence in a member state. The Council agreed that the latter criterion should apply only to asylum seekers illegally present after the entry into force of the regulation. The Council also agreed to a minutes statement addressing the possible future inclusion in the regulation's scope of applicants for subsidiary protection.
	The Council held a brief discussion of Articles 1–19 of the Council directive on minimum standards for the qualification and status of third-country nationals and stateless persons as refugees or as persons who otherwise need international protection concerning the definition of a refugee and those entitled to subsidiary protection. However, two member states maintained reservations on the text.
	With the exception of one member state, Ministers agreed to amend Article 16 of the directive laying down minimum standards for the reception of asylum seekers in member states in line with a United Kingdom proposal allowing for the refusal of support to asylum seekers making late applications. The one other remaining reserve on the text was lifted following a change to Article 11 concerning access to labour markets.
	The Council also agreed a statement declaring the European Free Trade Areas and Accession States (from the date of signature of the Accession Treaties) to be safe third countries for the purposes of asylum.
	The Council adopted a Community programme on the return of third country nationals to source countries and a programme intended specifically to address returns to Afghanistan. The Council also took note of Council conclusions agreed by the General Affairs and External Relations Council on 18 November concerning the integration of immigration policy into the Union's relations with third countries. Lord Filkin welcomed the conclusions as a positive first step but called for the monitoring of returns projects to ensure that they were effective.
	The Council agreed a package of provisions on child abduction for inclusion in the regulation concerning jurisdiction and the recognition and enforcement of judgments in matrimonial matters and in matters of parental responsibility. These were based on retention of existing Hague Convention arrangements with additional rules where a non-return order has been issued under the 1980 Hague Convention on Child Abduction. In order to encourage other member states to accept the compromise, Baroness Scotland proposed the creation of a strict timetable to initiate custody proceedings in the home court following a non-return order.
	Consequently, member states were also able to agree the Council Decision authorising the member states, in the interest of the European Community, to sign the Convention on jurisdiction, applicable law, recognition, enforcement and co-operation in respect of parental responsibility and measures for the protection of children.
	The Council agreed to revise the negotiating mandated for the draft agreement between the European Union and United States of America on judicial co-operation in criminal matters and on extradition.
	The Council discussed a presidency compromise package intended to address member states' outstanding reservations on the proposed offences in the Framework Decision combating racism and xenophobia. Lord Filkin, with four other member states, agreed that proposal struck the right balance between punishing racist and xenophobic acts and protecting freedom of expression. However, the remaining member states were divided in either expressing fundamental problems with the scope of the instrument or wanting to go substantially further, in particular in reducing the threshold for criminal liability.
	The presidency sought agreement to its compromise proposal regarding the abolition of the dual criminality requirement in the Framework Decision on the application of the principle of mutual recognition to financial penalties. This would enable member states to maintain dual criminality for a transitional period of up to five years. Although this was acceptable to the majority of delegations, including the United Kingdom, five member states maintained reservations.
	Two member states maintained reservations on the proposed penalties for trafficking in small quantities of drugs in the Framework Decision laying down minimum provisions on the constituent elements of criminal acts and penalties in the field of drug trafficking.
	Two member states also maintained reservations on the scope of the offences of active and passive corruption in Article 2 of the Framework Decision on combating corruption in the private sector.
	Under Any Other Business the presidency emphasised the importance of securing an agreement between Europol and the United States of America on the exchange of personal data. The Commission also asked the Council to consider its proposal for a Council Decision on financing certain activities carried out by Europol to fight terrorism. The latter point would be considered at the December JHA Council.

National Alert Rating

Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the national alert rating for each public sector was in each year since 1997.

John Denham: For reasons of security it would not be appropriate to comment on the states of alert operated across the various sectors.

Official Travel

Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the total budget of (a) his Department and (b) its agencies is for official travel in 2002–03.

Hilary Benn: holding answer 3 December 2002
	On current estimates the Home Office expects to spend #14,920,000 on official travel in 2002–03. The estimated expenditure of the agencies is as follows:
	
		
			  # 
		
		
			 Forensic Science Service 1,949,000 
			 Her Majesty's Prison Service 9,640,000 
			 United Kingdom Passport Service 1,327,000 
		
	
	The above figures include the cost of subsistence allowance which cannot be identified separately without disproportionate cost. The Prison Service figure includes the travel and subsistence cost of prison staff escorting prisoners. The cost of escorts for asylum seekers is not included as they are provided by the private sector.

Police Appointments

Iain Coleman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recruitment and deployment practices exist for the appointment of a police borough commander in a London Borough; and if he will make a statement.

John Denham: The appointment of a police borough commander to a London borough is an operational policing matter that falls under the jurisdiction of the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis.

Police Transfers

David Wilshire: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of, and how many, police officers transferred out of each police force in England and Wales in each of the last three years.

John Denham: holding answer 27 November 2002
	The tables show (i) the numbers of officers transferred from each force, (ii) the proportion of force strength represented by these transfers, (iii) the numbers of officers transferred in to each force and (iv) the net result for each force of this transfer activity in the last three years.
	
		
			   1999–2000  
			 Police transfers Strength at 31 March 1999 Transfers from force Transfers out as proportion of strength (percentage) Transfers to force Net transfers 
		
		
			 Avon and Somerset 2,999 16 0.53 29 13 
			 Bedfordshire 1,041 5 0.48 1 -4 
			 Cambridgeshire 1,274 6 0.47 12 6 
			 Cheshire 2,071 4 0.19 12 8 
			 City of London 778 13 1.67 0 -13 
			 Cleveland 1,416 1 0.07 9 8 
			 Cumbria 1,126 6 0.53 4 -2 
			 Derbyshire 1,759 6 0.34 10 4 
			 Devon and Cornwall 2,887 8 0.28 19 11 
			 Dorset 1,279 3 0.23 54 51 
			 Durham 1,568 3 0.19 6 3 
			 Dyfed-Powys 1,026 5 0.49 15 10 
			 Essex(21) 2,891 10 0.35 23 13 
			 Gloucestershire 1,104 3 0.27 13 10 
			 Greater Manchester 6,810 15 0.22 25 10 
			 Gwent 1,247 3 0.24 23 20 
			 Hampshire 3,473 20 0.58 31 11 
			 Hertfordshire(21) 1,724 23 1.33 25 2 
			 Humberside 1,974 5 0.25 15 10 
			 Kent 3,201 12 0.37 18 6 
			 Lancashire 3,245 7 0.22 7 0 
			 Leicestershire 1,993 13 0.65 8 -5 
			 Lincolnshire 1,140 5 0.44 14 9 
			 Merseyside 4,211 10 0.24 9 -1 
			 Metropolitan Police(21) 26,073 244 0.94 36 -208 
			 Norfolk 1,381 2 0.14 13 11 
			 Northamptonshire 1,137 2 0.18 3 1 
			 Northumbria 3,840 9 0.23 7 -2 
			 North Wales 1,391 5 0.36 14 9 
			 North Yorkshire 1,337 5 0.37 10 5 
			 Nottinghamshire 2,225 10 0.45 9 -1 
			 South Wales 2,981 11 0.37 7 -4 
			 South Yorkshire 3,168 8 0.25 22 14 
			 Staffordshire 2,238 2 0.09 2 0 
			 Suffolk 1,190 5 0.42 2 -3 
			 Surrey(21) 1,662 18 1.08 43 25 
			 Sussex 2,847 21 0.74 21 0 
			 Thames Valley 3,748 26 0.69 1 -25 
			 Warwickshire 908 2 0.22 3 1 
			 West Mercia 2,025 6 0.30 2 -4 
			 West Midlands 7,321 42 0.57 26 -16 
			 West Yorkshire 4,982 15 0.30 0 -15 
			 Wiltshire 1,151 7 0.61 13 6 
		
	
	
		
			   2000–01  
			 Police transfers Strength at 31 March 2000 Transfers from force Transfers out as proportion of strength (percentage) Transfers to force Net transfers 
		
		
			 Avon and Somerset 2,934 25 0.85 48 23 
			 Bedfordshire 1,028 21 2.04 9 -12 
			 Cambridgeshire 1,237 12 0.97 15 3 
			 Cheshire 2,011 6 0.30 8 2 
			 City of London 732 18 2.46 2 -16 
			 Cleveland 1,404 4 0.28 0 -4 
			 Cumbria 1,084 10 0.92 9 -1 
			 Derbyshire 1,777 5 0.28 3 -2 
			 Devon and Cornwall 2,841 7 0.25 62 55 
			 Dorset 1,306 9 0.69 36 27 
			 Durham 1,558 5 0.32 14 9 
			 Dyfed-Powys 1,040 9 0.87 13 4 
			 Essex(21) 2,806 25 0.89 50 25 
			 Gloucestershire 1,114 6 0.54 14 8 
			 Greater Manchester 6,795 28 0.41 48 20 
			 Gwent 1,264 5 0.40 13 8 
			 Hampshire 3,419 24 0.70 41 17 
			 Hertfordshire(21) 1,767 43 2.43 31 -12 
			 Humberside 1,932 18 0.92 10 -8 
			 Kent 3,204 26 0.81 30 4 
			 Lancashire 3,179 7 0.22 13 6 
			 Leicestershire 1,993 27 1.35 34 7 
			 Lincolnshire 1,115 6 0.54 32 26 
			 Merseyside 4,085 14 0.34 18 4 
			 Metropolitan Police(21) 25,485 382 1.50 72 -310 
			 Norfolk 1,381 6 0.43 28 22 
			 Northamptonshire 1,117 10 0.90 16 6 
			 Northumbria 3,788 5 0.13 9 4 
			 North Wales 1,403 2 0.14 19 17 
			 North Yorkshire 1,283 5 0.39 36 31 
			 Nottinghamshire 2,204 6 0.27 33 27 
			 South Wales 2,926 3 0.10 60 57 
			 South Yorkshire 3,163 4 0.13 21 17 
			 Staffordshire 2,170 9 0.41 2 -7 
			 Suffolk 1,145 11 0.96 8 -3 
			 Surrey(21) 1,785 171 9.59 303 132 
			 Sussex 2,822 31 1.10 23 -8 
			 Thames Valley 3,740 80 2.14 9 -71 
			 Warwickshire 900 8 0.89 2 -6 
			 West Mercia 1,887 6 0.32 18 12 
			 West Midlands 7,194 59 0.82 22 -37 
			 West Yorkshire 4,822 19 0.39 21 2 
			 Wiltshire 1,118 12 1.07 15 3 
		
	
	
		
			   2001–02  
			  Strength at 31 March 2001 Transfers from force Transfers out as proportion of strength (percentage) Transfers to force Net transfers 
		
		
			 Avon and Somerset 2,994 19 0.63 44 25 
			 Bedfordshire 1,036 51 4.92 6 -45 
			 Cambridgeshire 1,296 26 2.01 27 1 
			 Cheshire 2,002 18 0.90 8 -10 
			 City of London 703 11 1.54 42 31 
			 Cleveland 1,407 4 0.28 17 13 
			 Cumbria 1,048 18 1.72 29 11 
			 Derbyshire 1,823 6 0.33 18 12 
			 Devon and Cornwall 2,934 13 0.44 87 74 
			 Dorset 1,354 20 1.46 36 16 
			 Durham 1,595 10 0.63 10 0 
			 Dyfed-Powys 1,055 4 0.38 23 19 
			 Essex(21) 2,897 56 1.93 50 -6 
			 Gloucestershire 1,173 20 1.71 18 -2 
			 Greater Manchester 6,909 39 0.56 64 25 
			 Gwent 1,274 8 0.63 15 7 
			 Hampshire 3,438 61 1.77 54 -7 
			 Hertfordshire(21) 1,922 59 3.07 54 -5 
			 Humberside 1,917 12 0.63 24 12 
			 Kent 3,319 28 0.84 24 -4 
			 Lancashire 3,255 36 1.11 28 -8 
			 Leicestershire 2,032 37 1.82 13 -24 
			 Lincolnshire 1,202 6 0.50 8 2 
			 Merseyside 4,081 8 0.20 17 9 
			 Metropolitan Police(21) 24,878 436 1.75 196 -240 
			 Norfolk 1,420 9 0.63 33 24 
			 Northamptonshire 1,157 13 1.12 29 16 
			 Northumbria 3,857 26 0.67 29 3 
			 North Wales 1,444 0 0.00 32 32 
			 North Yorkshire 1,305 4 0.31 80 76 
			 Nottinghamshire 2,275 14 0.62 42 28 
			 South Wales 3,154 6 0.19 12 6 
			 South Yorkshire 3,197 12 0.38 26 14 
			 Staffordshire 2,129 22 1.02 35 13 
			 Suffolk 1,133 3 0.26 21 18 
			 Surrey(21) 2,066 246 11.93 55 -191 
			 Sussex 2,855 34 1.19 29 -5 
			 Thames Valley 3,703 72 1.94 13 -59 
			 Warwickshire 926 17 1.84 27 10 
			 West Mercia 1,951 10 0.51 65 55 
			 West Midlands 7,423 132 1.77 41 -91 
			 West Yorkshire 4,815 47 0.98 22 -25 
			 Wiltshire 1,120 10 0.89 22 12 
		
	
	(21) As of April 2000, the Metropolitan Police force was reduced in size by a transfer of responsibility for policing some areas to the surrounding forces of Surrey, Hertfordshire and Essex. The effects of the Metropolitan Police boundary changes on 1 April 2000 were incorporated into the police funding formula and the overall transfer between the forces was in terms of financial resources, not of officers.

Prince of Wales (Gifts)

Andrew MacKinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department under what powers, and on whose authority, the security services intercepted the conversation between Harold Brown and Jan Havlik about the model of an Arabian ship given as a wedding present to their Royal Highnesses the Prince and Princess of Wales by the Emir of Bahrain; and if he will make a statement.

John Denham: holding answer 10 December 2002
	The policy of successive governments is to neither confirm nor deny allegations as to whether a particular individual is or has been subject to an interception warrant under part I of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000.

Social Security Benefits

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will ensure that the question and advice about social security benefits that appears on the back of ordinary death certificates is printed on the back of death certificates provided by coroners' offices.

Hilary Benn: holding answer 10 December 2002
	We have been considering with the Department for Work and Pensions how best to ensure that timely information about such benefits can be drawn to the attention of the bereaved. I am afraid that coroners' interim certificates of the fact of death are not suitablefor this ppurpose, but I will write to the hon. Member in due course.

States of Alert

Peter Viggers: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the states of alert which are operated by government establishments, and the criteria which apply in each case.

John Denham: I refer the hon. Member to the reply my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary gave to the hon. Member for Shrewsbury and Atcham (Mr. Marsden) on 25 November 2002, Official Report, column 106W.

Truant Children

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many times in each month since its introduction police have used their powers under the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 to remove truant children to designated places.

John Denham: holding answer 9 December 2002
	The information is not held centrally. Police forces are not required to inform the Secretary of State when using the powers provided by section 16 of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 to pick up truants in public places and return them to school or other designated place.
	We have encouraged the police and local education authorities to undertake truancy sweeps on a regular basis, based on an assessment of local truancy problems. We are also making use of truancy sweeps as part of our efforts to tackle street crime. A co-ordinated programme of truancy sweeps during May this year in the street crime areas saw over 12,000 pupils stopped in 900 sweeps.

Drugs Strategy

Gary Streeter: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which targets have been (a) abandoned, (b) retained and (c) newly adopted following the updated drug strategy; and how progress on targets is to be monitored and reported.

Bob Ainsworth: We have not abandoned our targets. Following a review of the Drug Strategy, we concluded that the targets covered the right areas but, as the Home Affairs Committee noted, in some cases they were aspirational. We need targets which are challenging but achievable and which drive an emphasis on tackling problematic drug use and on reducing the harm caused by drugs.
	The new targets are set out in the list. The targets are monitored and delivered by Departments working closely together, although each target has a lead Department which co-ordinates delivery. These are indicated in the list.
	We will continue to report publicly on our progress through general reports on the strategy and through specific statistical bulletins. As with previous targets, more detailed information on how the new targets will be measured will be set out in technical notes available on departmental websites. The Department of Health Technical Note is already on their website at http://www.doh.gov.uk/psa/index.htm. Other technical notes will be published shortly.
	Public Service Agreement (PSA) targets from the previous spending review (SR2000) and the corresponding new targets from this latest spending review (SR2002).
	Young People (Home Office lead)
	SR2000 target: reduce the proportion of people under the age of 25 reporting the use of class A drugs 25 per cent. by 2005 and by 50 per cent. by 2008
	New target: reduce the use of class A drugs and the frequent use of any illicit drug among all young people under the age of 25 especially by the most vulnerable young people
	Tackling Supply: (Her Majesty's Customs and Excise lead)
	SR2000 target: reduce the availability of Class A drugs by 25 per cent. by 2005 and 50 per cent. by 2008
	New target: reduce the availability of illegal drugs by increasing:
	the proportion of heroin and cocaine targeted on the UK which is taken out;
	the disruption /dismantling of those criminal groups responsible for supplying substantial quantities of class A drugs to the UK market; and
	the recovery of drug-related criminal assets.
	And the Foreign and Commonwealth Office has also set a target to:
	Contribute to the reduction of opium production in Afghanistan, with poppy cultivation reduced by 70 per cent. within five years and elimination within 10 years.
	Drug related crime: (Home Office lead)
	SR2000 target: reduce the levels of repeat offending among drug misusing offenders by 25 per cent. by 2005 and 50 per cent. by 2008
	New target: reduce drug-related crime, including as measured by the proportion of offenders testing positive for arrest
	Treatment: (Department of Health lead)
	SR2000 Target: Increase the participation of problem drug users in drug treatment programmes by 55 per cent. by 2004 and by 100 per cent. by 2008.
	New target: Increase the participation of problem drug users in drug treatment programmes by 55 per cent. by 2004 and by 100 per cent. by 2008, and increase year on year the proportion of users successfully sustaining or completing treatment programmes.

Drugs Strategy

Gary Streeter: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many places are available on government—unded drug rehabilitation programmes; and how many will be made available as a result of the Updated Drugs Strategy.

Bob Ainsworth: Since 1997 the number of treatment services in England has increased by a third to 715. Under the Updated Drug Strategy, the National Treatment Agency will continue to work to increase the number and capacity of all treatment services to meet the target of doubling the number of people in structured treatment to 200,000 a year by 2008.

Drugs Strategy

Gary Streeter: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what part the concept of indefinite remedial care and harm minimisation for individuals using illegal drugs or prescribed substitutes will play as an alternative to rehabilitation and abstinence under the Updated Drug Strategy.

Bob Ainsworth: The primary goal of all treatment is abstinence while recognising that some drug misusers may require longer-term support to achieve this. Approaches, such as prescribing methadone or diamorphine as a substitute for illicit opiates, have proven benefits for certain individuals and for society, particularly in terms of stabilising the individual, and reducing injecting behaviour and criminal activity.
	The Updated Drug Strategy also contains as a key element the target of reducing drug-related deaths by 20 per cent. by 2004—often the final tragic result of years of risky patterns of use and poor health. Improving the basic health of drug misusers benefits them and the wider community. Programmes will focus on the key risks to health, reaching out on to the street and other places to target drug misusers in crisis.

Drugs Strategy

Gary Streeter: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what breakdowns are available for each of the four headings in the direct annual expenditure table on page 64 of the Updated Drugs Strategy document.

Bob Ainsworth: The following initiatives will be among those funded from the additional expenditure being injected into the Drug Strategy.
	Drug Treatment
	An expansion of the volume and range of treatment
	provision including treatment in adult Prisons.
	Protecting Young People
	The Positive Futures programme;
	Outreach workers for young people;
	Expansion of treatment and care both in the community
	and in custodial facilities;
	Arrest referral and community treatment for young
	people;
	Community sentences for young people; and
	Drug workers in juvenile custodial facilities.
	Safeguarding communities
	The expansion of drug testing for those arrested for
	certain offences;
	The introduction, on a pilot basis, of a presumption against bail for those arrested for certain offences who test positive and decline treatment; The expansion of Drug Treatment and Testing Orders and the introduction of generic community sentences; Consolidation and improvements in the quality of the Arrest Referral initiative; and
	The Introduction of a comprehensive programme of throughcare and aftercare for those in and leaving treatment, including those leaving prison.
	The amount spent on each initiative may vary from year to year as an initiative is rolled out and as the actual as opposed to estimated costs are established.

Drugs Strategy

Gary Streeter: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the access to drug detox and rehab programmes of drug addicts (a) within the criminal justice system and (b) outside of it; and if it is an aim of the Updated Drug Strategy to achieve equality of access.

Bob Ainsworth: Treatment works. It leads to reductions in both drug use and offending. We want to ensure that all those in need of treatment have access to it, whether it is through the community or criminal justice system.
	The Updated Drug Strategy focuses on getting problematic drug users into treatment. Filling gaps in provision, reducing waiting times and using every opportunity presented by the criminal justice system will ensure this target is met.

Drugs Strategy

Gary Streeter: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans the Government has to monitor average persistence of prescribed (a) diamorphine and (b) methadone use per individual under programmes supported by the Updated Drug Strategy.

Gary Streeter: Under the Updated Drug Strategy, the treatment target has been extended not only to monitor the number of drug misusers entering treatment services, but also to monitor the proportion of users successfully sustaining or completing treatment programmes. This will include drug misusers on diamorphine or methadone prescribing programmes. Performance against the treatment target will be monitored by the National Drug Treatment Monitoring System.

TRANSPORT

Ecological Cars

Alex Salmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport why ecological cars licensed prior to March 2001 do not benefit from the lower road tax applicable to vehicles in this class registered post March 2001.

David Jamieson: In order to introduce a VED scheme based on carbon dioxide CO2 emissions (in turn, based on information obtained during the EU Type Approval test) it was necessary to develop systems to enable emissions information to be held on the vehicle register at the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA). It was also necessary to allow time for motor manufacturers and dealers to make changes to their IT systems to accommodate the new system. Although CO2 information has been available for most new cars registered since 1997, it would have been major and very costly bureaucratic exercise to collect CO2 information retrospectively.
	The Chancellor of the Exchequer took these factors into account in setting 1 March 2001 as the date when the scheme should take effect. Whatever date the Chancellor had set, apparently identical vehicles registered either side of that date might have paid different VED rates.
	A further reason for choosing the date took into account the effect on the second hand car market. The March 2001 date coincided with the introduction of the XY" registration prefix letter and accordingly would make for a clear indication of what vehicles were, and which were not taxed under the CO2 scheme. That was particularly important as we expect and intend that the scheme to have a strong impact on incentives in the second hand market.
	Since CO2 emissions data are not readily available for vehicles registered before 1 March 2001 these cars are taxed on the basis of their engine capacity as a rough indicator of CO2 emissions. There are now around 9 million cars in the lower band of the engine size scheme (set at under 1549 cc) benefiting from a rate of #105, a reduction of #55 per annum on the standard rate.

10-year Transport Plan

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he will announce his investment decisions on projects envisaged under the 10 year transport plan; if he will publish a timetable for the implementation of each project; and what proportion of the funding under the 10 year transport plan will be spent on subsidised bus services.

David Jamieson: The plan provides an overarching funding framework and it included some illustrative outputs to show the scale and type of projects that could be delivered. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport made a further announcement about transport investment to the House on 10 December, 2002.

A303 (Construction Works)

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the timetable is for construction of works on the A303 near Stonehenge; what the cost is; what works are proposed; what changes there have been to the original proposals; what assessment has been carried out of the impact of the works; what representations have been received; and what discussions have taken place.

David Jamieson: The proposed timetable for the A303 Stonehenge Improvement is:
	Publication of draft orders: spring 2003
	Public inquiry : late autumn 2003
	Decision: late 2004
	Start of works (subject to the above) 2005
	Completion 2008
	The current estimated cost of the scheme is #183 million (excluding development and land costs.) The scheme is a 10.8 km long improvement of the A303 between Amesbury and Berwick Down, upgrading the single carriageway to a dual carriageway, providing a bypass for the village of Winterbourne Stoke and taking the road in a tunnel past Stonehenge. The scheme estimate is based on a 2.1 km bored tunnel.
	The assessment of the impact of the works is ongoing. The details in the form of an environmental statement will be published in the spring. There will be a public exhibition and anyone will be able to comment, support or object to the proposals.
	To date there have been a variety of views expressed, particularly on the type and length of tunnel that needs to be built. There have also been numerous discussions with partners and stakeholders over the planning and development of the scheme. All those views are being taken into consideration.

Abandoned Vehicles

Tony Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to require the last registered keeper of a motor vehicle to pay the costs of dealing with its abandonment.

David Jamieson: Abandoning a motor vehicle is currently a criminal offence attracting a maximum penalty of a fine of #2,500, three months' imprisonment or both. When a vehicle is abandoned, the local authority that deals with it has the power to recover the cost of removing and disposing of the vehicle from the keeper.
	Local authorities can seek information about the keeper of the vehicle from the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA). The DVLA has recently made a successful bid under the Invest to Save Programme to fund an electronic link to local authorities to enable them to seek that information more quickly and efficiently. That link is currently being rolled out to local authorities, following a successful pilot in Sussex.
	The 2002 Finance Act contained outline powers to establish a system of continuous registration, which will ensure that keepers of vehicles remain responsible for licensing that vehicle until such time that DVLA has been properly notified of its disposal. This will ensure that it is much more difficult for keepers of vehicles to evade their responsibilities to dispose of vehicles properly, or to evade meeting local authority costs when a vehicle is abandoned. We are currently considering how this legislation will be implemented and will make an announcement in due course.

Air Traffic (Scotland)

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many aircraft departed from (a) Edinburgh, (b) Glasgow and (c) Prestwick airports in each month since January 2000, broken down by aircraft type.

David Jamieson: An analysis by aircraft type is not readily available. Information for all aircraft is as follows:
	
		Air transport movements (aircraft landing or take-offs)(22) -- Thousand
		
			  Edinburgh Glasgow Prestwick 
		
		
			 2000
			 January 6.8 6.5 0.9 
			 February 7.0 6.6 0.9 
			 March 7.7 7.3 0.9 
			 April 6.8 6.9 0.8 
			 May 7.4 8.0 1.0 
			 June 7.6 8.2 1.0 
			 July 7.9 8.7 1.1 
			 August 7.9 8.4 1.0 
			 September 7.6 8.1 1.0 
			 October 7.9 8.1 1.0 
			 November 7.8 7.3 1.0 
			 December 6.8 6.4 1.0 
			 
			 2001
			 January 7.5 7.2 1.0 
			 February 7.1 6.6 0.9 
			 March 8.2 7.6 1.1 
			 April 8.0 7.3 1.1 
			 May 8.7 8.5 1.1 
			 June 8.5 8.2 1.1 
			 July 8.8 8.6 1.2 
			 August 8.7 8.4 1.2 
			 September 8.5 8.3 1.2 
			 October 9.3 8.7 1.2 
			 November 8.5 7.0 1.2 
			 December 7.2 6.2 1.1 
			 
			 2002
			 January 8.1 6.6 1.1 
			 February 8.0 6.0 1.1 
			 March 8.7 6.6 1.3 
			 April 8.7 6.9 1.2 
			 May 9.3 7.9 1.3 
			 June 8.6 7.8 1.3 
			 July 9.5 8.7 1.4 
			 August 9.1 8.2 1.3 
			 September 8.9 7.8 1.3 
		
	
	(22) Landings or take-offs of aircraft engaged on the transport of passengers, cargo or mail on commercial terms. Information about departures only is not available.

Air Transport

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer given to the hon. Member for Carshalton and Wallington (Tom Brake) on 9 December 2002, Official Report, columns 32–33W, on the future development of air transport, how many (a) questionnaires and (b) written letters were received in response to the consultation from Scotland by (i) 30 November and (ii) 10 December.

David Jamieson: The breakdown of responses received in response to the consultation about Scotland and logged up until the 30 November and 10 December.
	
		
			  30 November 10 December 
		
		
			 NOP questionnaires 790 860 
			 Letters 61 68 
			 E-mails 80 98 
			 Total 931 1,026

Aircraft Emissions

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much carbon dioxide is produced on average by an individual aircraft per mile travelled, broken down by aircraft type.

David Jamieson: The information requested is not readily available. Some information on CO2 emissions for different aircraft types, based on British Airways fleet of 1997–98, is given on pages 285–6 of Aviation and the Global Atmosphere, published by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change in 1999.

Appointments

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport to which bodies his Department makes appointments; how many members there are (a) in total and (b) in each body; and how many of those appointed are (i) businessmen, (ii) businessmen in SMEs and (iii) businessmen in micro-businesses.

David Jamieson: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by the Minister of State for the Cabinet Office today.

Aviation Fuel (Taxation)

John Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to increase revenues from taxation of aviation fuel; and what recent studies he has commissioned of the effect on air passenger numbers.

David Jamieson: Decisions on taxation are a matter for my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer. As announced in his pre-Budget report, the Government will discuss with stakeholders the most effective economic instruments for ensuring that, where justified, the industry limits or reduces its contribution to climate change, local air quality and noise pollution. Any decision to tax fuel used for international aviation would be subject to international agreement under the Chicago Convention. And EU Directive 92/81/EEC, on the harmonisation of the structures of excise duty on mineral oils, prohibits levying duty on most aviation fuel.
	An analysis published in Air Traffic Forecasts for the United Kingdom 2000 (May 2000, pages 19–20) indicates that an environmental fuel tax introduced in 2006 and increased by 10 percentage points every year for the next nine years until the tax were 100 per cent. of fuel costs in 2015 would reduce passenger demand by 10 per cent. by 2020.

Ministerial Engagements

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many engagements were undertaken outside London (a) by him or his predecessor and (b) by Ministers in his Department in January (i) 2000, (ii) 2001 and (iii) 2002.

David Jamieson: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer given by the Minister of State for the Cabinet Office (Mr. Alexander) today.

Railway Rolling Stock

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what types of, and how much, new rolling stock have been ordered in each year since 1994 by each train operating company.

David Jamieson: The following table provides the required information.
	
		
			 Year/TOC Volume (vehicles) Type 
		
		
			 1994   
			 Information not available — — 
			
			 1995   
			 Information not available — — 
			
			 1996   
			 Chiltern 12 DMU 
			
			 1997   
			 c2c 184 EMU 
			 Connex South Eastern 120 EMU 
			 Midland Mainline 34 DMU 
			 South West Trains 120 EMU 
			
			 1998   
			 Anglia 24 DMU 
			 Arriva Trains Northern 48 EMU 
			 Central Trains 76 DMU 
			 Chiltern 8 DMU 
			 Connex South Eastern 90 EMU 
			 First Great Western 40 DMU 
			 First North Western 70 DMU 
			 Catwick Express 64 EMU 
			 ScotRail 45 DMU 
			 ScotRail 120 EMU 
			 Virgin Cross Country 352 DEMU 
			
			 1999   
			 Chiltern 10 DMU 
			 First Great Western 30 DMU 
			 ScotRail 33 DMU 
			 Virgin West Coast 477 EMU 
			 2000   
			 Arriva Trains Northern 8 EMU 
			 c2c 112 EMU 
			 Chiltern 9 DMU 
			 SWT 16 DMU 
			
			 2001   
			 Arriva Trains Northern 8 EMU 
			 Chiltern 7 DMU 
			 First Great Eastern 84 EMU 
			 Midland Mainline 10 DMU 
			 South Central 240 EMU 
			 South West Trains 785 EMU 
			
			 2002   
			 Anglia 8 DMU 
			 Connex South Eastern 408 EMU 
			 Midland Mainline 127 DMU 
			 South Central 460 EMU

Railway Rolling Stock

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  how many railway rolling stock leases involving Mark 1 passenger carriages are in existence; and in respect of each lease, what is (a) the name of the rolling stock company owning the vehicles and (b) the name of the train operating company leasing them; how many Mark 1 vehicles are covered by that lease; and what is the date to which the train operating company is committed to leasing the vehicles;
	(2)  how many railway rolling stock leases involving Mark 1 passenger carriages there are; and in respect of each lease, which rolling stock company owns the vehicles; which train operating company leases them; how many Mark 1 vehicles are covered by that lease; and what the date is to which the train operating company is committed to leasing the vehicles.

David Jamieson: There are 1,741 Mark 1 vehicles leased through 19 leases as follows:
	ROSCO: Angel Trains
	Number of vehicles: 600
	Number of leases: 5
	Allocation to lessee: South West Trains (0), South Central Trains (324 ), Connex South Eastern (276)
	ROSCO: Portebrook Leasing
	Number of vehicles: 621
	Number of leases: 10
	Allocation to lessee: South West Trains (195), South Central Trains (224 ), Connex South Eastern (202)
	ROSCO: HSBC
	Number of Vehicles: 520
	Number of leases: 4
	Allocation to lessee: South West Trains (380 ), South Central Trains (60 ), Connex South Eastern (80)
	The dates to which train operating companies are committed to leasing the vehicles are commercially confidential. However, in general terms, leases are being extended up to 31 December 2004 where necessary.

Station Improvements (North Wales)

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what funds he has allocated for rail track and station improvements in the last three years; and how much of this funding has been spent in North Wales.

David Jamieson: Most public funds for railways are channelled through franchise support payments and cannot be allocated to specific expenditure. The Strategic Rail Authority has recently awarded over #2.4 million of funding from its Rail Passenger Partnership scheme for the 'Inform Cymru' project, providing customer information systems at stations along the Cambrian Line.

Transport Police

David Heath: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what additional funding has been made available since 11 September 2001 to the Chief Constable of British Transport Police to assist with the policing of the London Underground system.

David Jamieson: The British Transport Police (BTP) Committee sets the budget for the force and the users of the BTP, such as London Underground, the train operating companies and Network Rail, provide the funding.
	The BTP have advised me that LUL's contribution to the BTP's budget in 2002–03 increased by 4.5 per cent. on the #30.9 million paid in 2001–02. It was announced on 1 July 2002, Official Report, column 115W, that my right hon. Friends the Secretary of State for Transport and the Home Secretary were providing #1.36 million of central funds to the BTP to support their participation in the Street Crime Initiative in London.

Trust Ports

Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what action his Department has taken following the classification by the Office for National Statistics of major trust ports as public bodies.

David Jamieson: We have been working with the Office for National Statistics to identify the implications of this classification.

LORD CHANCELLOR

Bow Street Magistrates Court

Humfrey Malins: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department 
	(1)  how many hours the night session at Bow Street Magistrates' Court has operated; and how many cases have (a) been disposed of at first hearing and (b) been remanded over to a later date;
	(2)  what the cost of operating the night session at Bow Street Magistrates' Court has been since its inception.

Yvette Cooper: The consultation report has just been received by.ministers The Department is still completing its consideration and analysis of the findings and I hope to be able to write to the hon. Member with the figures requested shortly.

Appointments

Andrew Turner: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department to which bodies the Lord Chancellor's Department makes appointments; how many members there are (a) in total and (b) in each body; and how many of those appointed are (i) businessmen, (ii) businessmen in SMEs and (iii) businessmen in micro-businesses.

Rosie Winterton: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by the Minister for the Cabinet Office today.

Boundaries Review

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if she will make a statement on progress with the review of policies and processes to be adopted during the fifth general review of parliamentary constituencies and the review of Assembly electoral regions by the Boundary Commission for Wales.

Christopher Leslie: I have been asked to reply.
	In carrying out the fifth general review of parliamentary constituencies and Assembly electoral regions in Wales, the Boundary Commission for Wales will publish provisional recommendations for groups of constituencies, following the rules on the redistribution of seats set out in Schedule 2 of the Parliamentary Constituencies Act 1986. Provisional representations will be publicly available and interested parties will have one month from their publication in which to make representations.
	Local inquiries will be held if representations objecting to the proposals are received from an interested local authority or from a body of 100 or more electors. Inquiries will be conducted by Assistant Commissioners who will report to the Commission.
	Following receipt of reports, the Commission may decide to modify their revised recommendations before submitting their final proposals to my. right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister, the procedure for publication and inviting representation is again repeated. The report containing the Commission's final recommendations relates to all constituencies for Wales. No separate reports are submitted on any group of constituencies.

Midnight Courts Pilot

Simon Hughes: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department when the midnight courts pilots in Manchester and London (a) commenced and (b) terminated; how many defendants were dealt with by each court; how many were sentenced on the evening of their appearance; and how many were remanded or bailed to a future date.

Yvette Cooper: holding answer 2 December 2002
	The consultation report has just been received by ministers. The Department is still completing its consideration and analysis of the findings and I hope to be able to write to the hon. Member with the figures requested shortly.

Ministerial Engagements

Andrew Turner: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many engagements were undertaken outside London (a) by the Lord Chancellor and (b) by ministers in the Lord Chancellor's Department in January (i) 2000, (ii) 2001 and (iii) 2002.

Rosie Winterton: Since 1999 this Government have published an annual list of all visits overseas undertaken by Cabinet Ministers costing #500 or more during each financial year. The Government has also published on an annual basis the cost of all Ministers' visits overseas. Copies of the lists are available in the Libraries of the House.
	Detailed information requested in respect of UK travel is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	All travel is undertaken fully in accordance with the rules set out in the Ministerial Code and Travel by Ministers, copies of which are available in the Libraries of the House.

HEALTH

Prions

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment her Department has made of the risk of prions being transferred to meat for consumption (a) through blood and (b) by cutting equipment in abattoirs.[Transferred]

Hazel Blears: The Food Standards Agency advises me that the risk of prions being transferred to meat for consumption is currently estimated to be low. Specified risk material (SRM) controls cover those parts of animals considered most likely to harbour any transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (TSE) infectivity. The TSE regulations require that SRM neither enters the food chain nor comes into contact with any other animal material while in the slaughterhouse.
	Ongoing research underway includes investigation of different parts of a bovine animal beyond the currently defined SRM, and their response to an experimental challenge of BSE infected feed. This has not indicated to date that muscle tissue would itself become infected.
	The Agency is, in addition, undertaking research to evaluate the risk of prions being inadvertently transferred to meat at abattoirs, and possible ways through which risk can be reduced. This work in progress includes the examination of alternative cutting techniques for removal of spinal column. Results will be published once the work has been completed.

EU Directives (Food Supplements)

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what assessment he has made of the effects of the proposed EU directives on nutritional supplements and herbal remedies on (a) employment, (b) profit, (c) the number of small firms and (d) sales in the health food industry; what licence fees will be required for licensing each product; and what costs will be charged for testing each batch;
	(2)  what assessment he has made of the likely impact of the Traditional Herbal Medicinal Products Directive on employment in the retail sector; what representations he has received on the issue from (a) the National Association of Health Stores, (b) Consumers for Health Choice, (c) Holland and Barrett Retail and (d) general nutrition centres; and if he will make a statement;
	(3)  whom he has recently met from the natural health specialist retail sector and its consumers to discuss the Traditional Herbal Medicinal Products Directive; what views those individuals expressed to him; and what action he intends to take.

Hazel Blears: Directive 2002/46/EC on Food Supplements was published in the Official Journal of the European Communities on 12 July 2002 and must be implemented into Member States' national legislation by 31 July 2003. The Food Standards Agency is currently consulting on draft implementing Regulations.
	In the short-term the EU food Supplements Directive is unlikely to have any effect upon employment, profit, the number of small firms or sales in the health food industry.
	In the longer-term, the impact of the directive will depend upon progress in adding vitamin and minerals and their sources to the lists of permitted nutrients in the Directive and upon developments in the setting of maximum limits for vitamins and minerals in food supplements. The Food Standards Agency is arguing the case for these maximum limits to be based on thorough scientific risk assessments so that there is no unnecessary restriction on the range of products that can be marketed.
	We have received a substantial number of representations from the National Association of Health Stores, Consumers for Health Choice, Holland and Barrett and General Nutrition Centres about the proposed Directive on Traditional Herbal Medicinal Products. The main thrust of the representations is to express strong opposition to, or serious concerns about, the proposed Directive on Traditional Herbal Medicinal Products and to express the view that the proposals would threaten viability, profits and jobs in the health food sector, particularly among independent stores. They fear that the Directive will lead to a substantial reduction in consumer choice and have expressed the view that the proposals are over-regulatory in terms of the scope of the Directive and the likely costs of meeting the various requirements. They indicate their belief that there is no evidence that products in question are unsafe or dangerous.
	Ministers have met representatives of the natural health specialist retail sector on a number of occasions. Most recently, my noble Friend, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (the Lord Hunt of Kingsheath) met a representative from the National Association of Health Stores on 21 November and representatives of Consumers for Health Choice, Holland and Barrett and General Nutrition Centres on 28 November. He also attended a Consumers for Health Choice Parliamentary reception on 4 December.
	The main regulatory burdens arising from the Directive, for example in relation to the cost of preparing dossiers and applying for registrations, would fall on manufacturers. At meetings with Ministers representatives from a wide range of United Kingdom trade associations representing manufacturers of herbal remedies and health foods have told us that that they believe the Directive will lead to greater consumer confidence and greater stability in the market and have requested that the Government should support the initiative while seeking to achieve maximum flexibility. The Herbal Forum which represents ten UK manufacturers' trade associations, covering the health food, herbal remedies, ethnic medicines and aromatherapy sectors wrote to my noble Friend on 18 November to support the case for appropriate regulation in order to ensure that the public is properly protected against inferior quality products which the current system can allow onto the market. The forum indicates that it appreciates the need for the Directive while identifying a number of areas of concern that it wishes to see addressed in European negotiations or in implementation at national level.
	The proposals remain under negotiation, and there are wide differences of view within the herbal sector about the possible impact of the Directive. It is therefore problematic to make reliable estimates of the kind requested in relation to the health food sector. However, our overall assessment remains that it will be possible for a very wide range of herbal remedies to be brought to the market under the Directive as currently drafted. We also share the view put to us by many people in the sector that the proposed systematic approach to standards of quality, safety and information are likely to enhance public confidence and the future prosperity of the sector. Moreover, if in negotiations we achieve the ability to extend the principle of simplified registration to an additional range of products which currently require a full marketing authorisation, in particular traditional herbal remedies with added nutrients, this is likely to lead to increased opportunities for both manufacturers and retailers and a significant expansion in consumer choice as compared with the current position in the UK.
	We intend to continue to engage positively in the ongoing European negotiations on the Directive, seeking to ensure the maximum flexibility, consistent with the protection of public health. In negotiations on the Directive, and in any subsequent implementation, we will also seek to contain the regulatory impact, and we welcome the stated intention of the Herbal Forum to work constructively and closely with the Medicines Control Agency to achieve this objective.
	At this stage of negotiations on the Directive it is not yet possible to make estimates of costs of registering products. The cost of testing finished products before release onto the market is a matter for the relevant licence holders and, if they choose to purchase the service from a third party, this is for negotiation between the user and supplier of such services.

Anatomy Act

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to review the application of the Anatomy Act 1984; and if he will make a statement.

David Lammy: A comprehensive review of the law relating to human organs has been undertaken. Consultation has taken place through the report, XHuman Bodies, Human Choices", published in July 2002.
	We expect to legislate when parliamentary time allows.

Autism (Good Practice Guidelines)

Stephen Ladyman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to monitor progress in implementing his Department's good practice guidelines in respect to autism.

Jacqui Smith: I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Mr. Ivan Lewis) at the Department for Education and Skills, on 9 December 2002, Official Report, column 96W.

Care Homes

Colin Pickthall: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what statistics he collates on the (a) abuse and (b) neglect of residents in (i) private care homes, (ii) local authority care homes and (iii) NHS hospitals.

Jacqui Smith: Statistical data on the incidences of abuse or neglect of residents in care homes or inpatients in national health service hospitals is not collected centrally.
	Local councils are required to keep clear and accurate records of complaints or allegations of abuse. They should be kept in such a way that they create statistical information as a by-product.

Child Protection

Jimmy Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the timetable is for the introduction of legislation to change the child protection system following the inquiry into the death of Victoria Climbie.

Jacqui Smith: We expect to receive Lord Laming's report into the circumstances that led to the death of Victoria Climbie later this year or early next year. The Government will consider the report's recommendations fully, before deciding what, if any, action, which might include legislation, needs to be taken as a result.

Drug Rehabilitation

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many drug rehabilitation centres treat addicts of (a) cocaine and (b) heroin.

Hazel Blears: There are 715 drug treatment services in England that treat addicts of cocaine and heroin.

Drug Rehabilitation

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the cost of drug rehabilitation was in each of the last five years; and how much was spent per person treated in (a) England, (b) the North East of England and (c) the constituency of Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland.

Hazel Blears: This information is not available centrally.
	There are 138 drug treatment residential rehabilitation services in England, providing over 3000 bedspaces within the drug and alcohol residential rehabilitation sector. The cost per week, per patient, varies from around 300 to around 1000 for a placement within a medical/clinical facility.
	There is no information at present on community rehabilitation programmes, although work on unit costs is being developed by the National Treatment Agency.

Drug Rehabilitation

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of those receiving drug treatment are private patients.

Hazel Blears: This information is not available centrally.
	In England, during the year 2000–2001 the overall number of drug users reported as being in treatment was around 118,500.

Drug Rehabilitation

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people are undergoing drug treatment, broken down by drug action team area.

Hazel Blears: Information on the numbers of drug misusers in contact with drug treatment agencies in England, broken down by drug action team area of treatment, is given in table 11 of the Statistical Bulletin, Statistics from the Regional Drug Misuse Databases on drug misusers in treatment in England, 2000–01—http://www.doh.gov.uk/public/sb0133.htm. This document is available in the Library.

Drug Rehabilitation

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what menu of treatments he requires to be available in each drug action team area.

Hazel Blears: The overall menu of treatment services that residents of a drug action team (DAT) area should have access to, located either within the DAT area or located outside, is as follows:
	Open access services:
	Advice and information services
	Harm reduction services
	Structured community based services:
	Community prescribing—specialist service
	Community prescribing—general practitioners
	Structured counselling
	Structured day programmes
	Aftercare
	Residential services:
	In-patient detoxification
	Residential rehabilitation

Drug Rehabilitation

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many former drug addicts there are, broken down by (a) treatment method and (b) type of drug use.

Hazel Blears: This information is not available centrally.
	Recent research evidence demonstrates that around half (47 per cent.) of drug users who have gone through residential programmes, and more than a third (35 per cent.) of those from methadone programmes are still abstinent from opiates at four to five years. More than a third (38 per cent.) of all the residential clients were also abstinent from all six illicit target drugs (illicit heroin, non-prescribed methadone, non-prescribed benzodiazepines, crack cocaine, powder cocaine, amphetamines) at four to five years.

Drug Rehabilitation

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of ex-drug addicts who have undergone treatment are drug free.

Hazel Blears: Recent research evidence demonstrates that around half (47 per cent.) of drug users who have gone through residential programmes, and more than a third (35 per cent.) of those from methadone programmes are still abstinent from opiates at four to five years. More than a third (38 per cent.) of all the residential clients were also abstinent from all six illicit target drugs (illicit heroin, non-prescribed methadone, non-prescribed benzodiazepines, crack cocaine, powder cocaine, amphetamines) at four to five years.

Drug Rehabilitation

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many former drug addicts have remained drug free for (a) over one year and (b) over five years following treatment.

Hazel Blears: Recent research evidence noted that:
	The percentage of residential clients who were abstinent from illicit opiates (heroin and illicit methadone) was around 50 per cent. at one year. Abstinence rates from stimulants (all forms of cocaine and amphetamines) was around 68 per cent. at one year. Abstinence from crack cocaine was around 82 per cent. The percentage of clients treated in community methadone treatments who were abstinent from illicit opiates at one year was around 22 per cent. Abstinence rates from stimulants (all forms of cocaine and amphetamines) was around 64 per cent. at one year. Abstinence from crack cocaine was around 79 per cent.
	These reductions in illicit drug use were generally maintained throughout the four to five year follow-up period. Almost half (47 per cent.) of the residential, and more than a third (35 per cent.) of those from the methadone programmes were still abstinent from opiates at four to five years. More than a third (38 per cent.) of all the residential clients were abstinent from all six illicit target drugs (illicit heroin, non-prescribed methadone, non-prescribed benzodiazepines, crack cocaine, powder cocaine, amphetamines) at four to five years.

Harefield Hospital

John Randall: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to improve cardiac surgery facilities at Harefield Hospital and when they will be operational.

John Hutton: The Royal Brompton and Harefield National Health Service Trust has planned the replacement of a catheter laboratory and two cardiac operating theatres at Harefield Hospital. The former will be in operation by July 2003 and the latter by May 2003.

Heroin

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many deaths from heroin overdoses there were in (a) 2001 and (b) 2002.

Ruth Kelly: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.
	Letter from Len Cook to Mr. Mann dated 16 December 2002
	As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your question asking how many deaths from heroin overdoses there were in a) 2001 and b) 2002. (82268)
	The latest available figures for deaths related to drag poisoning 1 in England and Wales are for 2000. The number of deaths in that year where heroin or morphine 2 was mentioned on the death certificate was 926. 3 ;
	1 selected using the following codes from the International Classification of Diseases Ninth Revision:
	292 (drug psychoses)
	304 (drug dependence)
	305.2–305.9 (nondependent abuse of drugs)
	E850-E858 (accidental poisoning by drugs, medicaments and biologicals)
	E950.0-E950.5 (suicide and self-inflicted poisoning by solid or liquid substances)
	E980.0-E980.5 (poisoning by solid or liquid substances, undetermined whether accidentally or purposely inflicted)
	E962.0 (assault by poisoning—drugs and medicaments)
	where heroin or morphine was also mentioned on the death certificate.
	2 As heroin breaks down in the body into morphine, the latter is often detected at post mortem. For this reason, all deaths mentioning heroin or morphine have been included.
	3 Source: Office for National Statistics (2002) Report: Deaths related to drug poisoning: results for England and Wales, 1993–2000. Health Statistics Quarterly 13, 76–82.

HIV

Mike Wood: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what measures he plans to take to counter the increase in cases of HIV; and what extra resources will be made available to improve awareness of HIV and the need for better sexual health practices, with particular reference to younger people.

Hazel Blears: The aims of the sexual health and HIV strategy published last year include reducing the transmission of HIV and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and reducing the prevalence of undiagnosed HIV and STIs. The strategy sets a goal to reduce newly acquired HIV and gonorrhoea infections by 25 per cent., by the end of 2007.
	The Department has allocated an extra #47.5 million towards implementation of the strategy. This includes #4 million for the new sex lottery awareness campaign about preventing STIs, including HIV, which targets young adults aged 18 to 30 years. This complements the teenage pregnancy awareness campaign, which also highlights the importance of condoms in preventing STIs.

Homeless People

Evan Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the report by Dr. Sian Griffiths, commissioned by the Rough Sleepers Unit, on primary health care provision for homeless people has been published.

John Hutton: The paper 'Addressing the health needs of rough sleepers' was published by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister on Wednesday 11 December 2002.

Hospices

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what funding via the NHS has been given to support (a) St Catherine's Hospice and (b) Derian House Hospice.

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to provide additional funding via the NHS to (a) Derian House Hospice and (b) St. Catherine's Hospice.

Hazel Blears: During 2002–03, the Chorley & South Ribble Primary Care Trust (PCT) provided recurrent funding of #427,000 to St. Catherine's Hospice and 11,000 to Derian House Hospice.
	In addition, some non recurrent funding has recently been made available across Central Lancashire for which #40,000 will be allocated to hospices in Chorley, South Ribble and Preston. In the development of the local delivery plan, the PCT is considering increasing its investment in hospice services in 2003–04. However this will be dependent on other priorities.

Imported Poultry

Derek Wyatt: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps the FSA has taken to identify imports of turkeys from Brazil that have been treated with antibiotic furazolidine; and whether all poultry imported in 2002 from Brazil has been treated with furazolidine.

Hazel Blears: holding answer 12 December 2002
	Since October 2002, all imports of Brazilian turkey and other poultry meat have been tested for nitrofuran antibiotic residues. Furazolidone has not been detected in any sample.

Inter-country Adoptions

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the current backlog is of cases of inter-country adoptions being dealt with by his Department.

Jacqui Smith: The Department of Health is currently taking approximately five months to process inter-country adoption applications received from local authorities and voluntary adoption agencies. This involves comprehensive checking of all the papers received to ensure that they are in the format required by the country of origin and that the various legalisation and authentication procedures have been correctly carried out. The Department process every case as quickly and efficiently as they are able so that all children can have a safe and smooth transition to their new life in the United Kingdom. This processing time has increased following a significant increase in the complexity of cases and UK adopters applying to new countries.
	In addition to processing applications, the Department also has responsibility for:
	providing information and assistance to prospective adopters and professionals in the social care field;
	on inter-country adoption procedures and how the relevant pieces of UK legislation on adoption should be applied in practice;
	the production of fact sheets giving information on how to adopt from overseas countries, which prove to be an invaluable tool for both adoptive parents themselves and also the social workers carrying out home study assessment;
	handling a continuous stream of telephone inquiries and letters from adopters wanting to inquire about how their adoption application is progressing;
	general inquiries about both domestic and inter-country adoption; and
	providing urgent advice to entry clearance officers overseas and the Home Office about whether all the required documents are in place to be able to issue entry clearance to the UK, and on whether a court in the UK would be likely to make an adoption order after the family have returned.
	A number of initiatives are being put in place to improve processing times including: Saturday working to target outstanding cases; the recent recruitment of an additional caseworker; and a change in processing for Northern Ireland cases allowing them to be managed direct by the Department of Health and Social Services Public Safety, therefore cutting their overall processing time.

Mental Health

Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average waiting times were for (a) children and (b) adults suffering from mental health problems to receive treatment in each year since 1997.

Jacqui Smith: : The estimated mean waiting times for first outpatient appointments following general practitioner referrals to child and adolescent psychiatry and other mental health specialties, between 1996–97 and 2001–02, are shown in the table. At end March 1997 there were 600 and 1,370 patients waiting over 26 weeks for a first outpatient appointment for child and adolescent psychiatry and other mental health specialties respectively. The equivalent figures for March 2002 were 13 and 52.
	
		Mean waiting time(23) (in weeks) for first outpatient appointment.
		
			  Child andadolescent psychiatry Other MH specialities(24) 
		
		
			
			 1996 to 1997 10.4 6.3 
			 1997 to 1998 10.1 6.1 
			 1998 to 1999 10.6 6.0 
			 1999 to 2000 10.0 6.1 
			 2001 to 2002 10.3 6.1 
			 2001/2 10.8 6.6 
		
	
	(23) The means should be interpreted with caution because they are estimated from the total number of patients seen within 4, 9,13, and 26 week timebands
	(24) Other MH specialties includes the following: mental illness, forensic psychiatry, psychotherapy, and old age psychiatry.
	Source:
	Department of Health form QM08

Mid-Essex Hospital Trust

Simon Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people in the mid-Essex hospital trust area were waiting for in-patient treatment on the latest date for which figures are available; and how many were waiting on 31 March 1997.

David Lammy: The total number of patients waiting at mid-Essex hospital services national health service trust at the end of October 2002 was 9,675. The total number of patients waiting at the end of March 1997 was 8,391.

MMR

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the take-up of (a) MMR and (b) separate vaccinations for measles, mumps and rubella was in the last 12 months for which figures are available.

Hazel Blears: The uptake rates of MMR in the last 12 months in the United Kingdom is shown in the table.
	
		
			 Quarter Percentage uptake 
		
		
			 July to September 2001 84.2 
			 October to December 2001 84.0 
			 January to March 2002 83.8 
			 April to June 2002 84.3 
		
	
	Note:
	Uptake rates for single measles, mumps and rubella vaccinations are not routinely collected.

MRI Scans

Joan Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance he has issued in respect of waiting times for MRI scans; and what the average waiting time is in (a) England and (b) North Staffordshire.

Hazel Blears: We do not collect waiting times for a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan, nor has any central guidance been issued. The length of time that a patient may have to wait for any scan is dependent on their clinical condition. Emergency cases need to be seen immediately. Other cases will be carried out as quickly as possible, dependent on the clinical priority of all the remaining patients waiting to be scanned.
	Where an MRI scan forms part of the diagnostic process for a patient urgently referred with suspected cancer, this will be covered by the target of a maximum two months wait from urgent referral to first treatment, which will be rolled out for all cancers by the end of 2005.
	To increase the capacity of diagnostic services, funding has been made available for the provision of new and replacement scanners, including a replacement scanner at North Staffordshire. By 2004, approximately 100 MRI scanners will have been provided through central purchasing programmes.

Nurses (North Essex)

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many vacancies there are for nurses in the North Essex Mental Health Partnership; and how many approved nursing posts there are.

David Lammy: The number of nurse vacancies at North Essex Mental Health Partnership national health service trust is shown in the table. Information on the number of approved nursing posts is not collected centrally.
	
		Vacancies in NHS trusts by DHSC and North Essex Mental Health Partnership NHS trust, qualified nursing, midwifery and health visiting staff (excluding health authority staff)
		
			  3 month vacancy rate (percentage) 3 month vacancy (number) Staff in post (whole-time equivalent) Staff in post (headcount) 
		
		
			 England (excluding HA staff) 3.1% 8,390 265,720 329,980 
			 Midlands and Eastern 2.5% 1,860 72,170 90,190 
			 North Essex Mental Health Partnership NHS trust 2.2% 20 700 790 
			 London 6.1% 2,750 45,250 55,150 
			 Northern 2.0% 1,730 85,420 103,080 
			 Southern 3.3% 2,050 61,910 80,460 
			 Special health authorities 0.9% 10 970 1,090 
		
	
	Key Notes:
	1. Three-month vacancy information is as at 31st March 2002.
	2. Three-month vacancies are vacancies which trusts are actively trying to fill, which had lasted for three months or more, (whole-time equivalent).
	3. Three-month vacancy rates are three-month vacancies expressed as a percentage of three-month vacancies plus staff in post.
	4. Three-month vacancy rates are calculated using staff in post from the Vacancy Survey, March 2002.
	5. Staff in post data is from the Non-Medical Workforce Census, September 2001.
	6. Staff in post data excludes staff employed by health authorities, as vacancy information was only collected from trusts, PCTs and Special Health Authorities.
	7. Vacancy and staff in post numbers are rounded to the nearest ten.
	8. Percentages are rounded to one decimal place.
	Other Notes:
	9. Due to rounding, totals may not equal the sum of component parts.
	10. Due to rounding, calculating the vacancy rates using the above data may not equal the actual vacancy rates.
	11. Figures may not match previously published data due to a different method of rounding used on the staff in post data.
	Source:
	Vacancy numbers and rates: Department of Health Vacancies Survey March 2002
	Non-medical staff in post: Department of Health Non-Medical Workforce census September 2001.

Prison Health Services

Phyllis Starkey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to his answer of 3 December 2002, Official Report, col. 748W, on prison health services, if the increased funding is ring-fenced for NHS services within prisons.

Jacqui Smith: .Detailed decisions on the allocation of the increased funding announced for prison health services have not yet been finalised.

Restaurant Menus

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information restaurants and take-away food outlets are required to publish in relation to the presence of genetically modified foods and food products in the meals they supply; how they are able to find out about such a presence in (a) their ingredients and (b) the food which the animals which produced it were fed on; what the penalties are for non-compliance with these requirements; which enforcement authorities are responsible for ensuring compliance; how many prosecutions have been brought for failing to comply with the regulations; what the outcome was in each of those cases; and what estimate he makes of the total cost to date to (i) industry in implementing and (ii) public funds in enforcing this legislation.

Hazel Blears: Current labelling regulations require food sold to the final consumer or to mass caterers to be labelled as genetically modified if an ingredient contains novel genetic material (DNA or protein). There are no requirements to label products from animals fed GM feed. In the United Kingdom, these requirements also extend to food sold in catering establishments where information on the extent to which GM ingredients are used is provided to customers on demand.
	Enforcement of the Genetically Modified and Novel Food (Labelling) (England) Regulations 2000 is a matter for the local authorities, with the penalty on conviction under these regulations being a fine not exceeding level five on the standard scale. Parallel arrangements apply in other of parts of the UK. Compliance checks are usually carried out as part of routine premises inspections and no specific costs are recorded for the enforcement of these regulations. There have been no prosecutions to date. No details of the actual costs incurred by the hospitality industry have been received in recent consultations, but the total cost to the catering industry was estimated at #1 to #2 million in the regulatory impact assessment for the Genetically Modified and Novel Food (Labelling) (England) Regulations 2000.

Smallpox Vaccine

Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the side effects from smallpox vaccinations are.

John Hutton: Full details of the side effects of vaccination and contraindications to vaccination are given in the Department's draft smallpox plan available at http://www.doh.gov.uk/epcu/cbr/boil/smallpoxplan.htm
	Severe side effects that could occur in anyone included generalized vaccinia and progress vaccinia and post-vaccination encephalitis. However these side effects were more likely to occur in those with any degree of immuno-suppression or in pregnant women and their offspring. Eczema vaccinatum was a very serious side effect in those with active skin lesions at the time of the vaccination. Post vaccination encephalitis could also occur in anyone.
	The overall risk of severe complications following vaccination is low but they could be fatal. Complications occurred more frequently in persons receiving their first dose of vaccine, and among very young children.

Traditional Herbal Medicinal Products Directive

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what recent estimate he has made of the total registration cost for a product under the Traditional Herbal Medicinal Products Directive;
	(2)  if he will make a statement on the cost to manufacturers of the testing of each batch of products under the Traditional Herbal Medicinal Products Directive;
	(3)  what estimate he has made of the cost of completion of an individual dossier to support an application under the Traditional Herbal Medicinal Products Directive.

Hazel Blears: I refer the hon. Member to the replies I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Great Grimsby (Mr. Mitchell) today and on 5 December 2002, Official Report, column 967W.

Vaccination

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on his plans to extend the vaccination of children in the UK.

Hazel Blears: The existing childhood immunisation programme has been extremely effective in eradicating diseases that previously killed and disabled large numbers of children. For example, polio vaccination has eliminated polio for more than 15 years from this country. MMR has virtually wiped out congenital rubella syndrome and has prevented any child deaths from acute measles for 10 years.
	The impact of the childhood programme is reviewed regularly. Changes to programme are only considered following a careful assessment of all of the evidence by the expert advisory body the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation. No decisions have yet been made concerning extending the programme.

Vaccination

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list take-up rates of vaccinations generally available through the NHS for each of the past five years.

Hazel Blears: The information available about uptake of immunisations, primarily childhood immunisations and the numbers of vaccinations given in England is contained in the Statistical Bulletin XNHS Immunisation Statistics, England: 2001–02". A copy of the bulletin is in the Library and can also be found on the Department's website at www.doh.gov.uk/public/sb0218.htm.
	Data were not collected on a routine basis for influenza immunisation before 2000–01. In that year, uptake among the age target group of people over 65 years of age was 65 per cent., across England and improved to 68 per cent., across England in the following year, 2001–02. Data are not yet available for the end of the programme for 2002–03.

Woodhill Prison

Phyllis Starkey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what funding Milton Keynes PCT received in (a) 2001–02, (b) 2000–01 and (c) 1999–2000 in respect of the prison population at Woodhill.

Jacqui Smith: Milton Keynes Primary Care Trust (PCT) received specific funding of 50,000 in 2001–02 and 108,000 in 2002–03 to support the development of improved mental health services for the prison population at Her Majesty's Prison Woodhill.
	In each year the PCT, and previously the health authority, received funding for the secondary care of that part of its population classified by the Office for National Statistics as normally resident in HMP Woodhill. This funding comprised part of the general resource allocation for the PCT and was not separately identified.

Woodhill Prison

Phyllis Starkey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what funding Milton Keynes PCT will receive in repect of Woodhill Prison as a result of the increased national funding.

Jacqui Smith: Primary care trusts (PCTs) will not immediately assume financial responsibility for prison health services as a result of the transfer of Departmental budgetary responsibility for these services to the Department from April 2003. Future allocations to PCTs in respect of local prison populations have not yet been calculated, but in most cases the resources allocated will be significantly greater than current prison service expenditure on health care in the relevant prisons.

Woodhill Prison

Phyllis Starkey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether remand prisoners in Woodhill Prison are included in the funding calculation for Milton Keynes PCT.

Jacqui Smith: Remand prisoners will be taken into account in future funding calculations for Primary Care Trusts.

Woodhill Prison

Phyllis Starkey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what funding Milton Keynes PCT received in (a) 2001–02, (b) 2000–01 and (c) 1990–2000 for upgrading health facilities within Woodhill Prison.

Jacqui Smith: The prison service is responsible for the maintenance of health care facilities at Her Majesty's Prison Woodhill. Accordingly, no funding was allocated to Milton Keynes Primary Care Trust, or to its predecessor, Buckinghamshire Health Authority, for upgrading health facilities within HMP Woodhill during the three years in question.